Arctic Carbon Warning Network
The Arctic stores thousands of years of ecosystem carbon in frozen permafrost soils.
Society must have knowledge about the amount of methane and carbon dioxide escaping from thawing permafrost so that emission policies can be tuned accordingly.
The Arctic stores thousands of years of ecosystem carbon in frozen permafrost soils.
Society must have knowledge about the amount of methane and carbon dioxide escaping from thawing permafrost so that emission policies can be tuned accordingly.
ARCTIC CARBON WARNING NETWORK
(AWARE)
This network is built to create a real-time snapshot of Arctic methane and carbon dioxide emissions so that this threat remains on the radar.
Science Synthesis & The
Permafrost Carbon Network
Carbon Flux Network Map
CLICK buttons below to explore the network of Arctic field sensors.
Individual sites around the northern region monitor greenhouse gas exchange between ecosystems and the atmosphere. Linking these sites together as an observation network for Arctic carbon emissions is a powerful synthesis science approach for creating new knowledge.
THE ARCTIC IS WARMING FASTER THAN ANYWHERE ON EARTH
Methane and carbon dioxide are being released into the air from permafrost (perennially-frozen) ground in tundra and boreal forest ecosystems. These gasses are adding to those from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation elsewhere, accelerating the greenhouse effect that is already warming the planet.
Research agrees that slowing human carbon emissions will help to keep more permafrost carbon frozen and will dampen this accelerating feedback to climate change.
Reducing emissions, slowing climate change, and observing Arctic carbon fluxes will help to avoid carbon cycle surprises and tipping points.
WHERE ARE WE HEADED?
CO2
CARBON
DIOXIDE
CH4
Methane
WARMS THE PLANET
ABOUT 20 TIMES MORE
THAN CARBON DIOXIDE.
ABOVE: Possible future worlds
of increasing methane and carbon
dioxide emissions from permafrost.
Which way our planet goes depends on the climate change path set by people and the response of the Arctic landscape to ecosystem change.
Permafrost currently exists on land and under the shallow Arctic ocean in areas that were previously all exposed during the last Ice Age.
Methane and carbon dioxide can be released to the atmosphere by microbes decomposing organic matter, or as physically-trapped gases are warmed and permafrost degrades.
All illustrations © Victor O. Leshyk
The Arctic stores thousands of years of ecosystem carbon in frozen soils. Keeping this carbon in place helps keep our world farther from the worst “tipping points” of global warming. In our current window for climate action and stewardship, the AWARE network helps keep our finger on the pulse of Arctic change.
AWARE Project Lead:
Ted Schuur
Regents Professor of Ecosystem Ecology | Center for Ecosystem Science and Society | Northern Arizona University
Thanks for your interest in the Arctic Carbon Warning Network. Please share your comments and questions using our contact form.