Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 hr ago
Land carbon storage rebounded in 2025 after two years of decline
Land ecosystems absorbed more carbon in 2025 after their uptake fell sharply in 2023 and 2024.
Forests, grasslands and wetlands take carbon dioxide from the air as plants grow, making them an important natural carbon sink.
Researchers estimate the land sink absorbed 2.36 gigatonnes of carbon, 0.71 gigatonnes above the 2015–2022 average.
The rebound came largely from renewed growth in tropical forests, as conditions became more normal in Africa and the Amazon.
The recovery helped slow the growth of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but it does not mean the land sink is secure over the long term.
A powerful El Niño developing in the Pacific is expected to bring heat and drought to places such as the Amazon, so researchers expect land carbon uptake to fall sharply again next year.
Scientists say repeated weather shocks could weaken the sink, which is already estimated to be 25 per cent smaller than it would have been without climate change and natural variability.
The global land carbon sink rebounded in 2025 after absorbing far less carbon in 2023 and 2024.
Researchers estimate that land ecosystems absorbed 2.36 gigatonnes of carbon in 2025, 0.71 gigatonnes above the 2015–2022 average.
The recovery was driven largely by renewed growth in tropical forests as climate conditions became more normal in Africa and the Amazon.
The rebound coincided with a decline in the growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Researchers warn that extreme weather could reverse the recovery and that the land sink may weaken over the long term.
- Who
- Philippe Ciais and colleagues analysed the land carbon sink; Mike O’Sullivan was a member of the team.
- What
- The land carbon sink rebounded in 2025 after two years of sharp decline.
- When
- In 2025, following declines in 2023 and 2024.
- Where
- Terrestrial ecosystems worldwide, with the recovery driven largely by tropical forests, especially in Africa and the Amazon.
- Why
- More normal climate conditions helped plants recover their carbon uptake capacity after El Niño and Amazon fires reduced the sink in 2023 and 2024.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
El Niño and Amazon fires coincided with a near-cancellation of the global land sink.
Researchers estimate that land ecosystems absorbed 2.36 gigatonnes of carbon, marking a strong rebound.
A super El Niño in the Pacific is expected to become the most intense in history later in the year.
A sharp slump in land carbon uptake is expected.
- Land carbon uptake in 2025
- 2.36 gigatonnes of carbon
- Difference from 2015–2022 average
- 0.71 gigatonnes more
- Main driver of recovery
- Renewed growth in tropical forests
- Land sink reduction
- 25 per cent smaller than it would have been without climate change and natural variability
What people are saying
In 2023 and 2024, because of El Niño and the Amazon fires, we had the almost cancellation of the global land sink
The massive recovery in 2025
The land is showing short-term resilience
Sources
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