Rising temperatures prevent plants from absorbing CO2, study finds

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Carbon Herald or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A University of Arizona study finds that rising global temperatures will cause plant canopies to heat up faster than the surrounding air, reducing the ability of vegetation to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• By the end of the 21st century, plant surfaces may be approximately 0.11°C hotter than air temperatures, widening the gap by 16%

🔭 The context: Plants naturally cool themselves via transpiration, but under hot and dry conditions, this process is limited, causing leaves to heat further
• Most climate models rely on air temperature, underestimating heat stress on plants
• The study identifies arid and tropical ecosystems as the most affected regions, where higher canopy temperatures could reduce photosynthesis and carbon storage

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: If vegetation absorbs less CO₂, forests and other ecosystems will store less carbon, accelerating climate change
• Understanding plant-level temperature effects is critical for accurate climate predictions, carbon budgeting, and developing mitigation strategies to maintain ecosystem health and global carbon sinks

⏭️ What’s next: Researchers suggest incorporating canopy temperature data into climate models and environmental monitoring
• Policies may need to adjust conservation, reforestation, and carbon offset strategies to account for reduced plant efficiency in hotter conditions

💬 One quote: “Plant surface temperature has a first-order impact on plant photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration and other important processes. Many studies using air temperature alone are underestimating the effects on plants.” — Julia Green, University of Arizona

📈 One stat: Approximately 81% of vegetated areas are projected to experience higher plant temperatures than air temperatures by the end of the century

Subscribe to our free newsletters to never miss a beat in sustainability.

The world needs sustainability knowledge. At illuminem, no interest group or shareholder can influence our work. Thank you for supporting our mission to make high-quality and independent sustainability information free for all. Every contribution helps. Thank you for donating today.