The Ground Beneath North Canada is Collapsing. The Consequences Won’t Stay There.

A thaw slump on Herschel Island. Credit: Gonçalo Vieira/Nunataryuk

On Herschel Island–Qikiqtaruk, thawing permafrost – the frozen ground that lies beneath much of Canada’s north – is causing the ground to collapse into large depressions known as “slumps.” These features expand year after year, dramatically altering landscapes, ecosystems, and local livelihoods. 

New research and on-the-ground observations show that these changes are not isolated, they are early warning signals of widespread transformation across the Arctic with consequences that reach far beyond it. 

Key Developments 

Permafrost thaw is accelerating landscape collapse 

• Ice-rich ground is thawing, causing large slumps and landslides (CBC News, 2026)  

• Some slumps continue to grow over time, reshaping coastlines and terrain  

Extreme heat is triggering abrupt changes 

• A recent heatwave raised temperatures ~5°C above average, rapidly thawing deep permafrost. 

• This triggered hundreds of landslides within weeks, permanently altering the landscape  

Carbon release is amplifying climate change 

• Permafrost stores vast amounts of carbon accumulated over thousands of years. 

• When it thaws, stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, accelerating the warming that caused the thaw in the first place. 

Ecosystems are being disrupted 

• Vegetation is being destroyed, altering plant communities  

• Wildlife patterns are shifting as habitats change  

Recovery is extremely slow 

• Vegetation recovery can take decades to over 30 years depending on Arctic conditions.  

• Full ecosystem recovery may take centuries or longer 

Accelerating Climate Change 

Climate change is increasing temperatures in the Arctic at nearly four times the global average. 

This rapid warming is destabilizing permafrost systems, triggering ground collapse and erosion, carbon release and long-term ecosystem shifts.  

These processes are not isolated, they influence global climate systems, including atmospheric circulation and future warming trajectories. 

Local and Regional Implications due to reshaped Arctic landscape and ecosystem disruption 

Impacts on Indigenous communities 

• Changing landscapes are affecting the traditional hunting, fishing, and food practices that Indigenous communities in the Arctic have relied on for generations. 

• Declines in species such as caribou are changing hunting patterns  

• Fish systems are shifting, affecting food security and livelihoods  

Water and marine impacts 

• Increased sediment runoff is affecting freshwater and coastal ecosystems  

• Fish migration patterns are becoming less predictable  

How Does This Affect The World? 

Permafrost thaw releases greenhouse gases that accelerate global warming. It also alters climate systems that influence extreme weather worldwide. These changes signal that we may be approaching tipping points – thresholds where warming triggers further warming on its own, making climate change much harder to reverse and its impacts harder to predict.  

Places like Herschel Island–Qikiqtaruk are Canada’s early warning systems for such planetary change. 

What Can Be Done? 

• Strengthen monitoring of permafrost and Arctic systems  

• Integrate Indigenous knowledge with scientific research  

• Invest in climate adaptation strategies for Arctic communities  

• Accelerate global emissions reductions to limit further warming  

• Support interdisciplinary research on tipping points and systemic risks 

Read more about extreme weather here. 

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