Environment & Energy

World's forests failed to curb 2023 climate emissions, study finds

July 29, 2024 5:31 PM
By Reuters

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The study is still in the process of peer review with an academic journal, but three scientists who were not involved in the research told Reuters that its conclusions were sound.

They said that dips in land carbon sinks tend to happen in years affected by the El Nino climate phenomenon, like 2023. But the record high temperatures being driven by climate change made last year's dip particularly extreme.

Also, the consequences of the dip are more severe than in the past because humans are now causing the emission of more carbon dioxide than ever before.

The scientists cautioned that Earth's carbon sink varies widely year to year, and a single year alone will not spell doom. But it would be alarming if what was observed in 2023 becomes a trend, they added.

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