The time bomb of methane release

Arctic seabed monitoring shows a 40% increase in summer methane flux in 2025 compared to 2020, with permafrost melting potentially releasing 500 billion tons of carbon. The International Arctic Science Committee warns that this would add an extra 0.3°C to global warming, far exceeding the Paris Agreement’s temperature control targets. Carbon dioxide from the breakdown of methane hydrates will also exacerbate ocean acidification, creating a positive “greenhouse effect-acidification” feedback loop.