Is the planet losing one of its best ways to slow climate change?

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: In 2024, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels surged by 3.75 parts per million—the largest annual increase on record, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Scientists attribute this alarming spike not solely to fossil fuel combustion but increasingly to the weakening ability of ecosystems—particularly tropical rainforests—to absorb carbon amid record-breaking heat and drought

🔭 The context: The Earth’s natural carbon sinks, especially forests and soils, have historically absorbed about half of global CO₂ emissions
• However, 2024 was the hottest year on record, exacerbated by a strong El Niño
• This triggered extensive droughts and wildfires across key rainforest regions, including the Amazon and Central Africa, compromising their ability to capture carbon and, in some cases, turning them into net carbon sources

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This trend signals a dangerous feedback loop: as ecosystems become less effective at sequestering carbon, more CO₂ remains in the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and placing further stress on these same ecosystems
• If this becomes a long-term pattern, it could drastically weaken global climate mitigation efforts and increase the likelihood of crossing climate tipping points

⏭️ What's next: Researchers are closely monitoring global carbon fluxes and awaiting more comprehensive emissions data for 2025
• Scientists warn that this may be a precursor to a broader systemic shift in the global carbon cycle, raising the urgency for rapid emissions cuts and enhanced ecosystem protection
• Policymakers may face increased pressure to prioritize forest resilience and land-based carbon strategies at upcoming climate negotiations

💬 One quote: "If we don’t have that sink to rely on, climate change is going to get even worse than it is now." – Nancy Harris, Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute

📈 One stat: In the 12 months of the 2023–2024 El Niño, tropical land ecosystems absorbed 2.24 gigatons less carbon—equivalent to emissions from burning approximately 9 billion pounds of coal

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