Siberia is experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures soaring 10 degrees Celsius above the average mark.

In a stark display of the changing climate, Siberia has been gripped by an extended heatwave this year, resulting in a series of unprecedented events.

From January to May, Russia experienced record high temperatures, with the average temperature a startling 5.3°C above the 1951-1980 average. This trend continued into the summer months, with parts of Siberia recording temperatures up to 10°C above the average in May, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

On May 22, the town of Khatanga recorded an unusually high temperature of 25°C. This was followed by the town of Nizhnyaya Pesha reaching a scorching 30°C on June 9. These temperatures, typically seen much later in the year, are likely to occur only once in 100,000 years without anthropogenic climate change, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute.

The heatwave has had far-reaching consequences. Wildfires have ravaged hundreds of thousands of hectares in Siberia, with some starting due to spring vegetation clearing. High temperatures and strong winds associated with the heatwave have caused some fires to burn out of control. The oil spill in Siberia this month, partly due to thawing permafrost and poorly maintained infrastructure, has further exacerbated the situation, prompting a national emergency declaration by the Russian government.

The heatwave has also contributed to a plague of tree-eating moths in Siberia. Swarms of Siberian silk moths have grown rapidly in the warming temperatures, making trees more susceptible to fires by stripping them of their needles. This is a worrying development, as these moths can cause significant damage to forests, affecting biodiversity and potentially leading to further environmental instability.

While the planet as a whole is warming, Western Siberia shows more of a warming trend with higher variations in temperature, according to Freja Vamborg, a senior scientist at C3S. This trend is particularly concerning, as the polar regions are warming faster than elsewhere due to ocean currents carrying heat towards the poles.

A detailed investigation into the overestimation of carbon emissions from permafrost areas was conducted by research associated with the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. Using climate models, the study aimed to understand how thawing permafrost reduces the remaining carbon budget under global warming scenarios.

Despite a temporary dip in carbon emissions due to lockdown measures from the COVID-19 pandemic, the planet is on track to record its hottest year on record in 2020. This underscores the urgent need for global action to combat climate change and mitigate its devastating effects.