Cutting harmful, planet-warming pollution by switching away from fossil fuels is key to safeguarding Earth's tundra habitats. Other measures include creating refuges and protections for certain species and regions while limiting or banning industrial activity.

What does the tundra do for the environment?

The frozen ground contains about one and a half times the amount of carbon already in the atmosphere today, as well as large amounts of methane, another potent greenhouse gas. Until recently, the tundra acted as a carbon sink, capturing huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as part of photosynthesis.

What does the tundra provide for humans?

On the tundra, human activity includes residential, recreational and industrial uses Many of the permanent residents of tundra regions are indigenous people, such as Alaska's Aleut and Inuit tribes, and rely on subsistence hunting and gathering in order to survive.