Incorporating permafrost into climate mitigation and adaptation policy

• Published in: Environmental Research Letters
• Main Authors: Susan M Natali, Robin Bronen, Patricia Cochran, John P Holdren, Brendan M Rogers, Rachael Treharne
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 2022
• Subjects: permafrost; climate change; carbon flux; adaptation; indigenous knowledge; climate policy; Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering; TD1-1066; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Science; Q; Physics; QC1-999; Arctic; Climate change
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac8c5a; https://doaj.org/article/a16a206c85804124913d2c6082b70e9d

Permafrost thaw is drastically altering Arctic lands and creating hazardous conditions for its residents, who are being forced to make difficult and urgent decisions about where and how to live to protect themselves and their lifeways from the impacts of climate change. Permafrost thaw also poses a risk to global climate due to the large pool of organic carbon in permafrost, which, when thawed, can release greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere, exacerbating an already rapidly warming climate. Permafrost thaw has significant implications for adaptation and mitigation policy worldwide. However, it remains almost entirely excluded from policy dialogues at the regional, national, and international levels. Here we discuss current gaps and recommendations for increasing the integration of permafrost science into policy, focusing on three core components: reducing scientific uncertainty; targeting scientific outputs to address climate policy needs; and co-developing just and equitable climate adaptation plans to respond to the hazards of permafrost thaw.