Environment News

Amazon and Carbon Sink

November 14 , 2026 8 hrs 0 min 22 0

A study published in the journal Nature found that the Amazon rainforest releases more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than it absorbs due to deforestation and forest fires.
Scientists studied atmospheric CO₂ levels using research aircraft between 2010 and 2024 at four Amazonian locations and found that the forest had become a net carbon source.
Wildfires caused the Amazon to emit 1.17 billion metric tonnes more carbon than it absorbed; in 2024, fires caused 38% of deforestation.
Between 2010 and 2024, mining areas increased by 272%, pasture areas by 19% and soybean plantations by 193%.
The Amazon rainforest spans nine countries, covers approximately five million sq. km. and stores around 100 billion tonnes of carbon in vegetation and soil.