The Permafrost CCI project has released version 5.0 of their Permafrost datasets. It is the most comprehensive collection so far and provides annual maps from 1997 to 2023 at 1 km spatial resolution.
The release includes three essential gridded dataset types covering both the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctica:
- Permafrost extent derived from mean annual ground temperature using ensemble means
- Mean annual ground temperature measured at five depths: surface, 1 metre, 2 metres, 5 metres, and 10 metres
- Active layer thickness tracking the annual maximum thaw depth
Permafrost covers approximately 25% of the land area in the Northern Hemisphere. As frozen soils thaw, they release greenhouse gases that can amplify warming. To understand and respond to these shifts, scientists and decision-makers need reliable, long-term data. ESA's Climate Change Initiative provides consistent climate records with quantified uncertainties, supporting research, modelling, and climate policy efforts worldwide in line with the Paris Agreement.
Access the datasets here:
Permafrost Ground Temperature for the Northern Hemisphere, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/5675b0be944f45a8af0e7ddbeb47a011/
Permafrost Ground Temperature for Antarctica, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/88380c00ad79414ab1a30d3cd4cb7ad9/
Permafrost extent for the Northern Hemisphere, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/d235665772ec4b558e9a89ac85595e71/
Permafrost extent for Antarctica, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/25447c253cbe435b937347756fe47146/
Permafrost active layer thickness for the Northern Hemisphere, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/a6fbedd8ee5b472c8e84e55f746c1704/
Permafrost active layer thickness for Antarctica, v5.0: https://climate.esa.int/catalogue/9580c512bb474d00b1e0ee554e219bb7/