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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Axios or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: New data shows that the planet’s forests are absorbing significantly less carbon than in previous decades
• Historically, forests have removed around 30% of fossil fuel emissions annually, acting as a crucial carbon sink
• However, this capacity is now declining due to escalating climate stress and land-use pressures, according to recent analysis
🔭 The context: Forests serve as vital buffers against climate change by absorbing CO₂ through photosynthesis
• But rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, deforestation, wildfires, and pest outbreaks are weakening their ability to sequester carbon
• Tropical regions — particularly the Amazon and parts of Southeast Asia — are showing signs of carbon sink saturation or even net emissions due to degradation and land clearing
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: A decline in forest carbon uptake means more CO₂ remains in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming and narrowing the window to meet Paris Agreement targets
• It also undermines nature-based climate strategies, which many governments and corporations are relying on to offset residual emissions
• Restoring forests alone will not suffice without aggressive emissions reductions
⏭️ What's next: Scientists are urging policymakers to strengthen forest protection, reduce deforestation drivers, and enhance monitoring of forest carbon flows
• Integrated climate models may need updating to reflect reduced sink capacity
• This shift adds pressure on countries to pursue more ambitious mitigation efforts and diversify carbon removal strategies beyond natural ecosystems
💬 One quote: "In typical years, forests and other vegetation suck up roughly 30% of emissions from burning fossil fuels — but that natural buffer is weakening"
📈 One stat: Globally, forest carbon uptake has dropped significantly since the early 2000s, with some tropical regions transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon sources
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