Are rainforests now a cause of, rather than the answer to, climate change?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Edna MohamedDecember 12, 2025 at 07:12 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A new study published in *Nature* reveals that Africa's forests and woody savannas, which historically acted as a significant carbon sink, transitioned into a carbon source between 2010 and 2017 due to human activity. Researchers from UK universities used satellite data to track changes in carbon absorption, finding a decline in the ability of these forests to remove carbon from the atmosphere. The study reports that between 2011 and 2017, Africa's forests lost 106 million tonnes in biomass each year. This shift is concerning because Africa's forests are responsible for one-fifth of global carbon removal, and their reduced capacity contributes to the widening gap in greenhouse gas emissions targets set by the Paris Agreement. The largest of these forests is the Congo rainforest.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UK 50% National Centre for Earth Observation 60% Paris Agreement ×270% Africa ×480%

Keywords

climate change 100% rainforests 90% carbon sink 80% carbon source 80% africa's forests 70% carbon removal 60% biomass 60% greenhouse gas emissions 50% paris agreement 50% congo rainforest 40%