Africa’s Rainforests Now Emit More Carbon Than They Absorb, New Study Warns

Africa’s Rainforests Now Emit More Carbon Than They Absorb, New Study Warns
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Africa’s forests have shifted from being a net carbon sink to a net carbon source, according to The Guardian citing new research published Friday in Scientific Reports. The findings signal a major deterioration in one of the world’s most important natural climate stabilisers and confirm that all three major tropical rainforest regions—Africa, the Amazon and south-east Asia—are now contributing to global heating rather than slowing it.

Researchers from the UK’s National Centre for Earth Observation analysed more than a decade of satellite data using machine-learning tools to track changes in woody biomass. They found that while African forests were still gaining carbon between 2007 and 2010, this trend reversed sharply afterward. Between 2010 and 2017, the continent’s forests lost an estimated 106 billion kilograms of biomass per year—equivalent to the weight of 106 million cars. The most severe losses occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and parts of West Africa.

Scientists attribute the shift primarily to human activity, including agricultural expansion, mining, infrastructure development and the effects of global heating.

The authors warned that the world risks losing a critical natural carbon buffer unless forest protection efforts are rapidly scaled up. They highlighted Brazil’s Tropical Forest Forever Facility, created to pay countries to conserve forests, but noted that only $6.5bn of the targeted $100bn has been committed so far. Prof Heiko Balzter urged policymakers to accelerate investment and enforce stronger safeguards to curb deforestation before the damage becomes irreversible.