Natalya Saprunova
France
Permafrost, this cold that is no longer eternal
2022-2023
Yakutia is the cradle of permafrost in Russia, spanning just over three million square kilometers. Its climate is distinctly continental, characterized by long winters with temperatures reaching below 40°C, while summers are short. During this short period of two months, only the upper layer of the earth should thaw, allowing the development of vegetation. However, due to climate warming, a partial thawing of the deeper layers is underway. This thawing represents numerous inconveniences for local populations such as land subsidence, collapse of buildings, rupture of infrastructures, and disruption of ecosystems, among others. Oymyakon, is the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on Earth by average winter temperatures, known as the Pole of Cold, and is considered a climate regulator due to the spreading of its coolness. The area is closely monitored by weather stations as a result of its warming and the absence of Cyclone, both of which could catastrophically harm the planet. The problem then extends beyond the local sphere, as the melting of permafrost leads to the release of carbon dioxide and methane: two very active gasses and amplifiers of global warming. Ancient bacteria, as well as viruses released from soil and ice, could also cause serious illness in humans and animals.
