Alarming Decline in Carbon Uptake
In a concerning development, an international team of researchers has uncovered a significant drop in carbon absorption by land in 2023, marked as the hottest year on record. This decline, reported by The Guardian, highlights a drastic reduction in carbon captured by forests, plants, and soil during this period.
Accelerated melting and ocean impact
Further complicating the climate crisis, a study referenced by The Guardian reveals an accelerated melting of Greenland glaciers and Arctic ice sheets. This phenomenon impacts the Gulf Stream ocean current, slowing the rate at which oceans absorb carbon.
The ramifications of reduced carbon uptake extend beyond immediate concerns. Melting sea ice is altering the behavior of algae-eating zooplankton, which are now exposed to increased sunlight. This change disrupts their vertical migration, a critical process for carbon storage on the ocean floor, potentially leading to long-term consequences.
Warning from climate experts
Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, issued a stark warning at the New York Climate Week event in September. “We’re seeing cracks in the resilience of the Earth’s systems,” he stated. “We’re seeing massive cracks on land – terrestrial ecosystems are losing their carbon store and carbon uptake capacity, but the oceans are also showing signs of instability.”
Vulnerability of ecosystems
While the 2023 collapse in land carbon absorption might be influenced by temporary factors such as drought or wildfires, it underscores the fragile state of these ecosystems and their critical role in climate regulation.
In the face of rising carbon emissions, which reached a record 37.4 billion tonnes in 2023, the lack of large-scale technology for atmospheric carbon removal intensifies reliance on natural systems like forests, grasslands, peatlands, and oceans.
Climate models underestimating warming
Current climate models may not fully capture the rapid decline in land carbon sinks observed in 2023. If this trend persists, global warming could accelerate beyond existing projections.
A July study highlighted significant regional variations in forest carbon absorption from 1990 to 2019. Boreal forests, holding one-third of the world’s land-based carbon, have seen a sharp reduction in absorption due to beetle infestations, fires, and logging, all exacerbated by the climate crisis.
Global heating and land sink collapse
The weakening resilience of the Amazon rainforest, coupled with droughts in tropical regions and extreme heat in northern forests, led to a collapse of land carbon sinks in 2023, contributing to a notable increase in atmospheric carbon levels.