Melting of Permafrost Threatens Much of Russia’s Existing Economy, Bellona Warns

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Nov. 4 – Russia is set to lose much of its economy because of the increasingly rapid melting of the permafrost layer Moscow can no longer count on being “eternal,” the Bellona environmental protection organization warns. And even maintaining Russia’s current economic position will be increasingly difficult and expensive.

            Indeed, this threat to is so great that the European Federation of Science Journalists has launched a special website, “The Non-Eternal Permafrost” (nemerzlota.com/) to provide an up-to-date picture (bellona.ru/2021/11/02/nevechnaya-merzlota-pochemu-vazhno-uznat-o-tayanii-merzloty-i-kak-dalshe-s-etim-zhit/).

            According to Bellona journalist Nastasya Khlyakina, “this project is one of the important bricks from which our knowledge and our future will be built.” Those working on the project say that “we do not know for certain what awaits the cities which have been built on the permafrost” that has lasted for centuries but is now melting.

            But one thing experts do now and that the site highlights is that “the melting is taking place not only as a result of global warming.” Water and sewage from humans and industry are already in many places including in the Russian Federation, “the chief enemies of permafrost.” And people involved need to know about that.

            As one activist put it, it seems to her that Russia sits on melting permafrost like those people in the stories of antiquity who built their homes on a sleeping monster. One day, when the monster awoke and dove into the water, “the world began to change.” Russia must make plans before that happens.