False narratives about the #Arctic & #permafrost are being driven by the media. Here are some facts from science. 1) permafrost underlies 1/4 of N hemisphere land and 1/2 of Canada. Frozen ground is a backbone for ecosystems and infrastructure. 1/ fediscience.org/@queenofpeat/1…
Fact 2: It’s false to say thaw is unprecedented as it has happened in the past. However, rates of thaw are getting faster w/ warming, and because of climate change some permafrost will never return. Here is a video of me realizing ancient permafrost in Alaska is gone forever. 2/
Fact 3: Thawing permafrost is not why atmospheric methane (CH4) has increased so quickly in recent years. For now, permafrost thaw is a CO2 story, not a methane or nitrous oxide story. Hey climate reporters - Let’s keep our eye on the true story which deserves attention. 3/
Fact 4: Thawing permafrost is NOT a ticking time bomb. It is not going to catch us by surprise with a sci-fi burp of greenhouse gas emissions. Rather expect sustained emissions that gradually increase & become significant in the next few decades to century. How significant...? 4/ 
Fact 5: We talk about permafrost as a "country of emissions". A warming, thawing Arctic will add the equivalent of a major industrialized country to the global emissions stage. That means permafrost needs to be accounted for NOW in climate policy work, not down the road. 5/
Fact 6: Zombie viruses "emerging" from thawing permafrost are a false narrative and do NOT keep me up at night. What are my nightmares? Permafrost adding another United State's worth of GHG emissions to the atmosphere, thawing causing havoc on northerners. 6/
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