Why rising Arctic wildfires are a bad news for the world

Sub: Environment

Sec: Climate change

Recent Arctic Wildfires:

Wildfires have darkened the skies over the Arctic for the third time in five years.
Most fires are in Sakha, Russia, with over 160 wildfires burning nearly 460,000 hectares by June 24.
June 2024 carbon emissions from these wildfires were 6.8 megatonnes, the third highest in two decades.

Increasing Frequency and Scale:

Wildfires have been a natural part of the Arctic’s boreal forest or snow forest and tundra (treeless regions) ecosystems.
Arctic wildfires are increasing due to global warming.
The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average (1.1 degree celsius), now 3 degrees Celsius warmer than in 1980.
Increased warming leads to more frequent lightning and wildfires.
Soaring temperatures slow the polar jet stream, causing unseasonably warm weather and heatwaves, which further increase wildfire risk.
By 2050, wildfires in the Arctic and globally could increase by one-third.

Exacerbating Global Warming:

Wildfires release greenhouse gases like CO2, contributing to climate change.
The greater concern is the carbon stored in Arctic permafrost, which holds around 1,700 billion metric tons of carbon.
Wildfires make permafrost more vulnerable to thawing, releasing this stored carbon into the atmosphere.
Large-scale thawing could release massive amounts of carbon, making it impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, resulting in catastrophic consequences.

Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S):

It supports society by providing authoritative information about the past, present and future climate in Europe and the rest of the World.
The C3S mission is to support adaptation and mitigation policies of the European Union by providing consistent and authoritative information about climate change.
C3S offer free and open access to climate data and tools based on the best available science.

Source: IE