As the north warms, four to seven times faster than the global average, the carbon trapped in the permafrost is released in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, reinforcing the climate warming that is already causing increased thaw. This phenomenon is called the permafrost carbon feedback.
The Permafrost Carbon program aims to raise awareness of the climate threat posed by the permafrost carbon feedback and build the political will and incentives to develop technologies and strategies to slow the rate of permafrost thaw.
Working in collaboration with the Woodwell Climate Research Center and the Arctic Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, the program advances research in two key areas and provides guidance to policymakers, community leaders, and researchers:
- Strategies, technologies, and policies for mitigating permafrost thaw
- Links between permafrost thaw and wildfires
