Key Carbon Sink Disappears for Second Consecutive Year

Rapid Summary:

• Hot and wet conditions in 2024 led to ecosystems emitting nearly as much CO₂ as they absorbed, marking the second consecutive year of a weak land carbon sink.
• The land carbon sink traditionally removes billions of tonnes of CO₂ annually but has weakened considerably earlier than projected, perhaps impacting global climate targets.
• Researchers observed increased productivity in vegetation (record greenness), but accelerated decomposition outpaced these gains, causing an overall higher release of CO₂.
• A preliminary analysis estimates the land carbon sink removed about 2.6 billion tonnes less CO₂ than average in 2024-its weakest performance in over a decade.
• Unlike 2023’s weakening caused by fires and droughts, the 2024 decline was driven mainly by enhanced decomposition under hot and wet conditions.
• Grasslands and tropical shrublands were especially impacted; this disruption may signal faster-than-predicted declines due to climate stressors like greenhouse gases and El Niño effects.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The back-to-back weakening of the global land carbon sink could hold significant implications for India amid ongoing climate challenges. As one of the world’s most densely populated countries with vast grassland ecosystems prone to heat extremes, India may face increasing pressure on its natural resources due to accelerated atmospheric CO₂ levels. Furthermore, reduced global sequestration capabilities can exacerbate temperature rise domestically and threaten agricultural productivity-vital for India’s food security.

While researchers highlight uncertainties regarding long-term trends versus short-term anomalies in ecosystem behavior, India’s policymakers should continue investing in afforestation programs while integrating resilient solutions into environmental management practices. Strengthening observation frameworks could help better assess regional vulnerabilities aligned with evolving international research findings on carbon sinks.

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