Arctic Ocean

Main article: Earth (planet)

Ice sheet reduction

Reduction of Arctic ice cover

Ice area in September in million km2

Rising World Ocean Levels

2022: The Russian Arctic loses almost 7 thousand hectares every year, which it washes into the sea

Russia is losing an increasing portion of its Arctic coast every year. This is the conclusion reached in 2022 by scientists from Moscow State University, who are studying climatic changes in the North.

Global warming leads to an increase in the level of the world's oceans. Moreover, its waters warm up, essentially melting the icy shores. Every year, part of the land, comparable in area to the Central District of Moscow, is washed into the sea, says geoecologist Stanislav Ogorodov. This is about 70 square meters. km In their place there are shoals and narrow beaches.

The "washing out" of the Arctic shores has been known for a long time: Soviet scientists knew about this misfortune back in the sixties. Only the rate of permafrost retreat is increasing. For example, the coast of the Pomeranian island of Kolguev retreats at a speed of 2 meters per year.

In some places in Eastern Siberia, the coast is washed out by a warming sea at a speed of 15-20 meters per year. In the Pechora and Kara Seas, where hydrocarbons are now being produced, there have already been cases when the shores collapsed into the sea along with infrastructure. Warming of the northern seas is a direct threat to seaports, power lines, communication networks, and most importantly - underwater pipelines (there are such in Yamal - in the Baydarak Bay and the Ob Bay).

Apocalyptic forecasts for the Russian Arctic are made by other scientists. Greenhouse gas methane and radioactive gas radon are released into the atmosphere from the melting permafrost, and deadly mercury into the water.

See also

• Pacific Ocean