Over the whole Arctic regions in the world, the air is warming and the permafrost - underground frozen land, is currently thawing due to climate change. This thaw represents numerous inconveniences for local populations: land subsidence, collapse of buildings, deformation of roads, floodings, disruption of ecosystems. According to the researchers, the permafrost could thaw before the end of this century, impacting not only the infrastructures, but also the atmosphere quality and the biosphere state of our planet with the release of greenhouse gases: CO2 and methane, and even ancient bacteria and viruses from Pleistocene era, as anthrax, for exemple. The total area of permafrost on Earth is 25 million km2. This is 20% of the total land area of the planet, of which 10.7 million km2 falls on the territory of Russia and 7.2 million km2 is in North America, including Alaska and Canada. These Arctic regions conceal riche Indigenous cultures that are nowadays first victims of permafrost thaw. Scientists are studying consequences of permafrost thaw internationally by sampling soil, ice, stone, sediment and water to help local people to find solutions.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, Yakutia situated in Siberia is the cradle of very old and rich in organic matter permafrost having its largest part with an area of just over 3 million km2. In Oymyakon, district of Yakutia known as the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on Earth by winter average temperatures is considered as a mondial regulator of climate by diffusing its freshness. Despite a rather stable average temperature of the year, weather anomalies, abondant snowing, hot wind, summer heat, wild fires are already causing permafrost to thaw and the global climate change.

Canada is the country with the longest inhabited Arctic coastline in the world and damages from permafrost melting are particularly visible along the Beaufort Coast, and especially in communities like Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories. This village, built on permafrost, is losing its land due to the thaw. In addition, melting releases mercury that enters the sea, threatening aquatic ecosystems and the livelihoods of indigenous people. Tuktoyaktuk authorities are already looking into scenarios to relocate the village as this territory is an important part of the identity of the Inuvialuit people. The population of Tuktoyaktuk would therefore become the first community of climate refugees in Canada.