The Arctic island of Svalbard is warming six to seven times faster than the global average. This rapid warming impacts critical infrastructure, such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which faced flooding in 2017 due to melting permafrost. In February 2025, scientists observed temperatures rising significantly, leading to unexpected conditions that required them to collect soil samples without drilling. The thawing soil releases methane, creating a potential feedback loop that exacerbates climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
"In some parts of Svalbard, air temperatures climbed above freezing for 14 of the 28 days of February, reaching 40 degrees Fahrenheit, when the average temperature at this time of year is 5 degrees."
"As more soil thaws, more methane is released, leading to more thawing and more methane, and on and on."
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