Forests around world being changed from carbon sinks into carbon sources, making it harder to slow global heating
The authors said this accelerating trend was approaching – and may have already breached – a “critical temperature threshold” after which fires cause significant shifts in tree cover and carbon storage.
“Alarmingly, the latest temperature at which, globally, these impacts become pronounced is 1.34C – close to current levels of warming ,” said the UK Met Office, which led the research.Each fire has a double impact on the global climate: first, by emitting carbon from the burned trees, and second, by reducing the capacity of forests to absorb carbon dioxide.This adds to the heat in the Earth system, which has already been raised by the burning of gas, oil and coal.
These compounding impacts, which scientists call positive feedbacks, are turning forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources. This makes it harder to slow global heating, even before the world reaches the 1.5C lower target of the Paris climate agreement.“Fires are reducing the ability of forests and other ecosystems to store carbon, narrowing our window to keep global warming in check,” said Dr Chantelle Burton, the study’s lead author., who are also worried that the rapid melting of ice caps is reducing the planet’s “albedo” ability to reflect sunlight back into space.
Climatologists say the already dire situation will deteriorate until humankind, particularly in the wealthy global north, stops burning fossil fuels.
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