
“The forest is no longer growing faster than it’s dying. This is bad – having the most productive carbon absorber on the planet switch from a sink to a source…”
The Amazon rainforest is now emitting more carbon dioxide than it is able to absorb, according to a new study.
Hundreds of aerial readings of emissions collected over the last decade showed that southeastern Amazon, in particular, has shifted from a ‘sink’ to a source of carbon dioxide.
The CO2 emissions amount to a billion tonnes a year, scientists have confirmed.
The study published in the journal Nature involved taking 600 vertical profiles of CO2 and carbon monoxide, which is produced by the fires, at four sites in the Brazilian Amazon from 2010 to 2018.
Researchers measured CO2 levels up to 4,500m above the forest. They found fires produced about 1.5bn tonnes of CO2 a year, with forest growth removing 0.5bn tonnes.
The 1bn tonnes left in the atmosphere corresponds to the annual emissions of the world’s fifth-biggest polluter – Japan.
Factors affecting the Amazon rainforest
Deforestation and an increasing warming trend have contributed to the carbon imbalance in the southeastern region of the Amazon, which has been experiencing rising temperatures and reduced rainfall in the dry season.
Fires deliberately set to clear space for beef and soy production has caused major destruction. Since 1970, the region’s tropical forests have declined by 17%, mostly to accommodate livestock rearing.
Deforestation surged to an all-time high last year while fires hit their highest level in June since 2007, Reuters reported.
In addition, changing weather patterns have reduced the region’s effectiveness as a buffer for climate change, and global warming is further aggravating the situation.
According to researchers, the largest tropical forest losing its power to absorb emissions is a stark warning that currbing emissions from fossil fuels is critical.
‘Sink to source’
Lead researcher Luciana Gatti from the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil said: “The first very bad news is that forest burning produces around three times more CO2 than the forest absorbs.
“The second bad news is that the places where deforestation is 30% or more show carbon emissions 10 times higher than where deforestation is lower than 20%.”
She added: “We have a very negative loop that makes the forest more susceptible to uncontrolled fires.”
Prof Scott Denning from Colorado State University called the aerial research ‘heroic’, the Guardian reported.
“In the south-east, the forest is no longer growing faster than it’s dying. This is bad – having the most productive carbon absorber on the planet switch from a sink to a source means we have to eliminate fossil fuels faster than we thought,” he said.
Politics
While other scientists who work in this field have said the latest findings are consistent with changes that several other studies have already shown, efforts to decrease deforestation in the region face an uphill political battle.
The government of Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, has long clashed with environmental groups, and world leaders, after Bolsonaro pledged to develop the region for farming and mining in January.
Share this story: Amazon rainforest now emitting more CO2 than it absorbs, scientists warn.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
Tobey Maguire often speaks about veganism and animal issues. Tobey Maguire, the actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi trilogy, is a vegan. He has been a vegetarian since 1992 and became a vegan in 2009. A lifelong commitment to animal rights Maguire’s decision to go vegan was motivated by his love …
Continue reading “Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know”
Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
The number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based industry increased by almost a third from April to July 2023, GlobalData reported. The plant-based food industry is booming, and this is reflected in the number of job openings in the sector. According to data from GlobalData, the number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based …
Continue reading “Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …