Explain why scientists are concerned about the release of the methane stored in Arctic ice.

Answer:

By some estimates, there is more methane frozen in arctic ice than coal remaining in the world’s coal beds. Since methane is 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas its impact could be truly enormous. It is also of concern because while the carbon dioxide emission resulting from coal use can be mitigated through human action, the release of methane from arctic ice is dependent upon global climate. Therefore, if the climate warms sufficiently to release large amounts of the methane it could establish a positive feedback cycle and warm the earth even further.