Permafrost coasts make up to 34 per cent of the world's coastlines. Erosion of these coasts currently averages 0.5 m/yr, which is similar to or greater than rates observed in temperate regions. The erosion rate has risen on the Arctic coast of Alaska during the first decade of the 21st century as the minimum sea ice extent has declined. Increasing erosion leads to higher engineering and relocation costs for coastal villages, and to greater quantities of organic carbon contained in permafrost being released to the near-shore zone. Little is known however, on the degradation pathways of this carbon on its way to the ocean. These pathways are influenced by the nature of the permafrost, the presence of ground ice, the variability of energy from incident waves and/or the presence of sea ice. In this presentation, we present an overview of recent activities aiming at solving these issues both in the Laptev and Beaufort Seas.