Ability Of Forests To Absorb Carbon Vulnerable To Temperature Increases

Carbon absorption could be more vulnerable to temperature increases than previously believed. Published in Nature in December 2023, a study found that despite a 6.75 percent increase in India's forest canopy cover from 2001 to 2019, the forests' carbon uptake decreased by around 6 percent, possibly due to the effects of global warming.

Trees soak up CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, acting as a natural carbon sink. However, global warming can interfere with this process by increasing carbon fertilisation and lowering the rate of photosynthesis due to high temperatures. As the study shows, the areas that experienced the most warming, such as the Western Ghats, northeast India, and the East Coast Peninsula, also saw the most significant reductions in carbon uptake.

This research carries profound implications for India's climate mitigation efforts. The country has pledged to create a carbon sink capable of sequestering an additional 2.5–3 billion tonnes of carbon through forest and tree cover by 2030 as part of its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2070. Given the study's findings, the reliability of forests as climate mitigation tools is now under scrutiny.

These findings emphasise the need for robust greenhouse gas monitoring networks in India. Experts suggest that reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and other sources is crucial in addition to afforestation efforts.

Minimising deforestation and degradation also becomes essential to maintaining vegetation as a carbon sink. The intricate interplay between heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide in forests, driven by multiple feedback loops, further underlines the need for comprehensive strategies to combat climate change.