Svalbard experienced its hottest summer on record this year, with temperatures reaching an all-time high of 21.7°C. Scientists are concerned about the thawing permafrost, which is releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, contributing to further climate change. This is part of a self-reinforcing cycle called the permafrost carbon feedback, which is being studied at several locations on Svalbard. Sea ice in the surrounding Arctic Ocean is also melting at a faster rate than predicted by climate models.