Earth’s plants and soils reached peak carbon dioxide sequestration in 2008 but proportion absorbed has been declining since, study finds. Our planet is losing its appetite for mopping up carbon dioxide. Analysis of atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements show that Earth’s plants and soils reached peak carbon dioxide sequestration in 2008 and absorption has been declining ever since. Passing this tipping point increases the chances of runaway climate breakdown.
Plants and trees have had it good for the last century or so. Rising levels of carbon dioxide helped to spur growth and warmer temperatures gave rise to a longer growing season. But at some point these benefits start to be outweighed by the negatives of a warming climate: wildfires, drought, storms, floods, the spread of new pests and diseases and plant heat stress all reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that plants absorb.
Sign up to Down to Earth. The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential. after newsletter promotion. James Curran, the former chief executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and his son Sam analysed the ups and downs in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, revealing that peak carbon sequestration occurred in 2008, and since then the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by plants has declined by an average of 0.25% a year. “The findings are very stark. Emissions now need to fall by 0.3% per year, just to stand still. That’s a tall order since they typically increase by 1.2% per year,” said James Curran, whose findings are published in the journal Weather.
