Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I have to admit that climate science fell behind reality not too long ago. The effects of the manmade global warming that over 97 percent of us who are scientists acknowledge (note that I say “acknowledge” rather than “believe in”) were underestimated.

Scientists are careful people and it is no real surprise that they were too conservative. Recent findings have told us that the situation is much worse than anyone expected. The effect of greenhouse gases is being amplified greatly as methane is being released from the melting permafrost and Arctic ice.

Permafrost comprises 24 percent of the land in the Northern Hemisphere, and stores massive amounts of carbon. As a result of climate change, permafrost is melting, releasing the stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, which are powerful heat-trapping gases. In addition, permafrost is structurally important, and its melting has been known to cause erosion, disappearance o...