Russia’s environment ministry said in a report this year that deterioration of permafrost poses many risks to people and nature. Melting permafrost enables any pollutants to spread faster and more widely, seeping through previously solid ground, the report said. There, permafrost is not as cold, consistent or thick, and warming can “lead to the deformation of buildings, to disasters”. Melting permafrost accelerates erosion of Russia’s Arctic coast, and Yakutia is losing about two meters of coastline every year, he said. “We need a national law if we want to conserve permafrost and prevent serious harm to the environment of the Russian North and Siberia,” he says.

Source: Egypt Independent December 05, 2018 09:11 UTC