In short:
- Earth’s land lost significant carbon absorption capacity in 2023 due to high temperatures and severe wildfires.
- Preliminary research indicates a troubling trend that could complicate climate change mitigation efforts.
- Northern forests may struggle to recover their carbon-absorbing abilities compared to tropical rainforests.
Key quote:
“We expect the land sink to slow eventually, but I hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon. If it slows this early, we’re in trouble.”
— Rob Jackson, a climate scientist at Stanford and author of the book “Into the Clear Blue Sky
Why this matters:
Forests act as vital carbon sinks, reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Their diminished capacity to absorb carbon could accelerate global warming, making climate change harder to combat.
In short:
- Earth’s land lost significant carbon absorption capacity in 2023 due to high temperatures and severe wildfires.
- Preliminary research indicates a troubling trend that could complicate climate change mitigation efforts.
- Northern forests may struggle to recover their carbon-absorbing abilities compared to tropical rainforests.
Key quote:
“We expect the land sink to slow eventually, but I hoped it wouldn’t happen so soon. If it slows this early, we’re in trouble.”
— Rob Jackson, a climate scientist at Stanford and author of the book “Into the Clear Blue Sky
Why this matters:
Forests act as vital carbon sinks, reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Their diminished capacity to absorb carbon could accelerate global warming, making climate change harder to combat.
