All emissions from deforestation captured in new biomass
Deforestation can be an environmental problem and lead to decreased biodiversity. But when studying carbon dioxide sources and where they end up, we can see that the biomass pool (including deforestation) has not contributed to climate change at all.
Photo: Pixabay
This is shown in figures from the Global Carbon Project, which recently published data on emissions and absorption of carbon dioxide.
Data shows that carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and land use change from the 1850s and forward have been taken up in new biomass. This means that all increased carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is due to fossil emissions from coal, gas, and oil.
The world’s oceans have contributed
In addition, the world’s oceans have accumulated almost 20 percent of all emissions since 1850, thus becoming more acidic, with lower pH – causing problems for corals and shellfish.
The accumulated emissions from different contributions from 1850 until today, as well as where the carbon dioxide has ended up. The picture shows that all emissions from changed land use now have been taken up by biomass (land sink). Source: Friedlingstein et al 2022; Global Carbon Project 2022
– To rectify climate problems, we need to focus on how we can decrease the use of fossil fuels. Focusing on the forest will not solve the climate crisis, but only force forest owners to pay and bare responsibility for the problems that have been caused by those who extract and use fossil fuels, says Gustav Melin CEO of Svebio when commenting on the Global Carbon project’s newly presented data.
Click here to read more about the Global Carbon Project´s new data.