Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Climate change: Human activity makes forests emit carbon
You may think forests have been acting as carbon sinks and harboring biodiversity. However, a recent study revealed that even the most protected forests in UNESCO World Heritage sites have emitted more carbon than having absorbed in the last two decades. These forests include the tropical rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Honduras, and Yosemite National Park, US. What is alarming is that even these most protected forests are under threat of human pressures, such as agricultural encroachment and illegal logging. Also, substantial space of forests was lost due to wildfires, hurricanes and typhoons, and other extreme weather conditions, most of which were caused by global warming. It seems like a vicious cycle. The more carbon is emitted, the more wildfires occur, and then more carbon is emitted.
Will human ingenuity stop this downward spiral before it’s too late?
Enjoy reading the article to learn about this shocking research result.
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