 The Arctic permafrost is only one aspect of the environmental crisis resulting from an economic system where profits take center stage at the expense of all other considerations. |
A recent study published in the journal Science reports a massive spike in the amount of methane seeping from Arctic permafrost—dirt that is at or below freezing temperature year around.
In just five years, methane emissions from the Arctic have risen by 31 percent. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon monoxide. It can trap 20 times more heat than carbon monoxide. Scientists fear that the warming caused by increased methane emissions will itself lead to more methane release, which could lock the region into a cycle that forces temperatures to rise at an even greater accelerated rate.
The pace of global warming in the Arctic is twice that of any other place else on Earth. Paul Palmer, a scientist who worked on the new study, reported to the Guardian newspaper that the dramatic increase in methane levels in the Arctic is enough to explain a recent increase in global atmospheric methane levels.
A promising aspect of this new study is that it demonstrates that satellites, which were used in this project to measure methane emissions indirectly, can pinpoint changes in the level of greenhouse gases emitted from a particular place on the planet. This technology makes it possible for scientists to collect data on greenhouse gas emissions originating from a variety of natural and synthetic sources, according to Palmer.
Palmer further stated to the Guardian that it was a “disgrace” that few satellites were launched to monitor global warming. It is uncertain whether his team will be able to continue monitoring methane in the future because of the lack of satellites available for scientific observation.
The only solution to the global warming crisis is a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the United States—the nation with the highest rate of carbon emissions—has resisted any kind of mandatory reduction plan in order to protect corporate profits. Corporations strive to minimize production costs no matter the costs to the environment.
We have only to look to the recently concluded United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen to understand this point. At the summit, scientists and environmental activists were kept out of the debate, while heads of state for the world’s economic powerhouses shielded their own capitalist classes while placing the burden of environmental protection on countries struggling to overcome underdevelopment.
There is unequivocal evidence for the relationship between capitalism and the destruction of the environment. The United States accounts for just 5 percent of the world population, but is responsible for 25 percent of greenhouse gases.
In contrast, in 2006, the World Wildlife Federation named socialist Cuba as the only country that met the criteria for sustainable development, which involves development at a level that can meet human needs without depleting natural resources faster than they can be renewed.
To socialists, this finding is not surprising. Cuba has become a world leader in the use of environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. With the profit motive out of the picture, socialist planning and distribution can make sustainable development a priority, stewarding natural resources for future generations.
