In Russia, permafrost melting due to faster warming is resulting in damage to infrastructure which could be estimated to be more than $67 billion by 2050.
Alexander Kozlov, Russian environmental minister told this at the 9th Nevsky International Ecological Congress in St. Petersburg on Thursday.
The permafrost, the frozen condition of the upper layer of the soil from 2 years to thousands of years, is covering almost 65% of Russian soil. This has started melting rapidly for climate change due to faster environmental warming. This degradation in the earthen layer is resulting in a catastrophe to infrastructure with 23% technical failures and 29% of loss in fossil fuel extraction.
Alexander Kozlov said, “There are problems with building new railway lines and roads. We estimate that more than 40% of buildings and infrastructure facilities in permafrost-covered areas have already been damaged.”
He also added that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is creating a system to study permafrost damage induced by climate change and the State Duma will receive the bill on this by July 30. He also expects to find out innovative technologies by 2024 to observe permafrost.
Russia is warming 2.5 times faster than the global warming rate. The permafrost melting condition may change the Russian ecosystem entirely to an unrecognizable stage. The Tundra may disappear completely, Moscow and St. Petersburg could be surrounded by deserts, Arctic regions may turn green with cultivations by 2021.
Bottom Line: Russia is about to face an acute problem with faster environmental warming that resulting in rapid permafrost melting, endangers the entire infrastructure and natural life with a huge financial loss by 2050.
