The Arctic tundra, which has been a carbon sink for millennia, has shifted to become a carbon source.

The Arctic tundra, which historically acted as a carbon sink, is now emitting more carbon than it absorbs due to permafrost warming and increased wildfires, as reported in the NOAA 2024 Arctic Report Card.

Thawing permafrost in the Arctic region is releasing significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen, posing environmental challenges due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Set against the austere peaks of the Western Brooks Range, the lake, looked like it was boiling. Its waters hissed, bubbled and popped as a powerful greenhouse gas escaped from the lake bed.

The 2024 Arctic Report Card highlights the unusual shift of the Arctic tundra from a carbon sink to a carbon source and reports significant declines in large migratory caribou herds, attributed to climate change impacts like increased winter precipitation and warmer summers.