Prof. Vladimir Romanovsky
Prof. Vladimir Romanovsky
Dr. Vladimir E. Romanovsky is Professor of Geophysics of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Dr Romanovsky’s interest is in the scientific and practical aspects of environmental and engineering problems involving ice and permafrost. Working with Prof Kevin Schaefer, he has co authored a new research report on thawing permafrost called “Policy Implications of Warming Permafrost“ for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Permafrost covers almost a quarter of the northern hemisphere and contains 1,700 gigatonnes of carbon—twice that currently in the atmosphere—and could significantly amplify global warming should thawing accelerate as expected. Dr Romanovsky warns carbon dioxide and methane emissions from warming permafrost have not thus far been included in climate-prediction modeling.
He concludes that the “only way to stop degradation of permafrost is to stop warming in climate”.
For more information about Dr Romanovsky’s, see the Permafrost Laboratory website.
