Record-low CO2 uptake by trees raises concerns over nature’s ability to absorb carbon

A preliminary investigation by an international team of researchers revealed that the amount of carbon absorbed by land drastically decreased in 2023, the hottest year on record, according to a report in The Guardian. This resulted in forests, plants, and soil absorbing minimal carbon during that period.

Melting ice disrupting ocean carbon absorption

Another study cited by The Guardian highlighted that the glaciers in Greenland and the Arctic ice sheets are melting more rapidly than expected. This is affecting the Gulf Stream ocean current, which is also slowing the rate at which oceans are able to absorb carbon.

Long-term effects on carbon storage in oceans

The drop in carbon absorption may not be a short-term issue. Melting sea ice is exposing algae-eating zooplankton to increased sunlight, causing them to remain deeper underwater for longer periods. This interrupts their vertical migration, a process that helps store carbon on the ocean floor, which could have long-term consequences.

Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, spoke at the New York Climate Week event in September, warning, “We’re seeing cracks in the resilience of the Earth’s systems. We’re seeing massive cracks on land – terrestrial ecosystems are losing their carbon store and carbon uptake capacity, but the oceans are also showing signs of instability.”

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While the 2023 collapse of land's carbon absorption may be temporary, depending on the presence of drought or wildfires, it highlights the vulnerability of these ecosystems, with serious consequences for the climate.

Lack of large-scale carbon removal technology

In the absence of large-scale technology capable of removing atmospheric carbon, Earth's forests, grasslands, peatlands, and oceans remain the primary natural systems absorbing carbon emissions, which reached a record 37.4 billion tonnes in 2023.

Climate models may underestimate global warming

Most climate models have not accounted for such a swift decline in land carbon sinks, as witnessed in 2023. If this trend continues, it could lead to faster global warming than these models have projected.

Regional variation in forest carbon absorption

A study published in July revealed that while forests consistently absorbed carbon between 1990 and 2019, the amount absorbed varied greatly depending on the region. Boreal forests, which hold about one-third of the world’s land-based carbon and span Russia, Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska, have experienced a sharp reduction in carbon absorption—over a third of it lost due to beetle infestations, fires, and logging, all driven by the climate crisis.

Global heating driven by collapsing land sinks

Combined with the weakening resilience of the Amazon rainforest and drought conditions across tropical regions, the extreme heat in northern forests contributed to the collapse of land carbon sinks in 2023, leading to a sharp rise in atmospheric carbon levels.

(With inputs from agencies)