Africa's Forests Transition from Carbon Sinks to Emission Sources

Post by : Mara Rahim

A recent scientific investigation has unveiled a troubling transformation in Africa’s forests. Historically, these forests played a crucial role in combating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. However, they are now contributing to the problem by releasing more carbon than they capture. This shift serves as a critical alarm for international policymakers.

According to the study published in Scientific Reports, this troubling trend began around 2010, driven primarily by rapid deforestation and forest degradation. Trees are being removed at a pace quicker than they can be replenished, alongside the adverse effects on forests that suffer damage without being entirely cleared. As tree populations dwindle, the carbon stored within them is expelled back into the atmosphere.

Researchers affiliated with the National Centre for Earth Observation in the UK utilized sophisticated satellite technology and machine learning techniques, incorporating data from NASA and Japan’s ALOS radar satellites alongside extensive ground measurements. This comprehensive approach enabled them to produce the most detailed map of Africa’s forest biomass to date. The findings revealed that from 2010 to 2017, Africa experienced an annual loss of approximately 106 billion kilograms of forest biomass, equivalent to the weight of 106 million vehicles.

The most significant losses were evidenced in regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and various West African locales, home to moist tropical forests that sequester substantial carbon. While certain savanna areas have seen minor increases in shrub growth, these gains are insufficient to counterbalance the vast losses in key forested regions.

This discovery highlights an urgent warning for the international community. Professor Heiko Balzter, a co-author of the study, asserted that if Africa's forests cease their carbon absorption, other regions will need to implement even stricter emission reductions to fulfill the Paris Agreement objectives. Dr. Pedro Rodríguez-Veiga, another researcher, emphasized the necessity for governments, NGOs, and private organizations to collaborate in forest preservation, curtail illegal logging, and rehabilitate degraded landscapes.