2024 Amazon fires released record CO₂ emissions
2024 Amazon fires released 791 million tons of CO₂, signaling severe ecosystem collapse.
Why it matters
- The Amazon is a critical carbon sink.
- Increased fires threaten to turn it into a carbon source.
- Potential tipping point for the rainforest.
By the numbers
- 791 million tons of CO₂ released in 2024, equivalent to Germany’s annual emissions.
- Sevenfold increase from recent averages.
- 6.64 million hectares of forest disturbances in 2024, a two-decade peak.
The big picture
- The Amazon is facing severe threats from climate change and human activity. The increase in fires could push the ecosystem to a tipping point, making it a carbon source rather than a sink.
What they're saying
- One commenter said it's terrifying how we're normalizing this kind of data.
- Another mentioned that the Amazon is supposed to store carbon, not emit it.
Caveats
- This is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed yet.
- The study suggests a significant increase in CO₂ emissions, but further review is needed.
What’s next
- Urgent, coordinated efforts are needed to mitigate the drivers of these fires and prevent irreversible ecosystem damage.