Amazon rainforest now emits more carbon than it stores
A new study in Nature finds the Amazon rainforest now gives out more carbon than it takes in. Fires, cutting of trees and drought, made worse by El Niño, have tipped the balance. Read it to revise carbon sinks and sources, tropical forests and REDD+.
- Study
- Nature, aircraft data 2010–2024
- Net extra carbon
- About 1.17 billion tonnes
- Carbon stored
- About 100 billion tonnes
- Dry-season rain
- Down about 17%
Amazon carbon: what happened?
For centuries, the Amazon soaked up carbon for the planet. Now it is giving more back than it takes.
- A Nature study found the Amazon is now a net carbon source, not a sink.
- Aircraft measured carbon dioxide over four Amazon sites from 2010 to 2024.
- Fires left the Amazon emitting about 1.17 billion tonnes more carbon than it absorbed.
- 2024 was a strong El Niño year; fire caused 38% of that year’s deforestation (lead author Luciana Vanni Gatti).
- Dry-season peak rainfall fell about 17% (1979–2018) and temperatures rose about 0.9°C.
What are carbon sinks and sources?
A carbon sink takes in more carbon than it releases, like a healthy forest or the ocean. A carbon source releases more than it takes in.
The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, mostly in Brazil. It holds about 100 billion tonnes of carbon in plants and soil.
India angle: a separate study says India’s forests could nearly double carbon storage by 2100, with the largest gains in arid and semi-arid Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Which laws and Articles apply?
- UNFCCC (1992) and Paris Agreement (2015): global climate framework.
- REDD+: rewards developing countries for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
- India’s NDC: an extra carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2-equivalent through forests and tree cover by 2030.
- Green India Mission: one of the missions under India’s climate action plan.
Why does the Amazon carbon shift matter?
| Angle | What to note |
|---|---|
| Climate | Losing a big sink speeds global warming. |
| Tipping point | Forest may turn to savanna. |
| Biodiversity | Home to a huge share of species. |
| India | Shows why forest protection matters at home. |
What are the problems with the Amazon carbon shift?
- Fires and illegal clearing continue.
- Drought and El Niño are becoming stronger.
- Funds for forest protection are small.
- Degraded forests lose carbon quietly.
What should be done next on the Amazon carbon shift?
- Stop illegal deforestation with strict enforcement.
- Scale up REDD+ and forest finance.
- Restore degraded forests.
- Support local and indigenous communities who guard forests.
What can Prelims ask on the Amazon carbon shift?
Prelims probability: Medium: a striking first (the Amazon turning a carbon source), with carbon sinks and REDD+ as static links and climate summit season keeping it fresh.
- Carbon sink vs carbon source.
- Amazon: largest tropical rainforest.
- REDD+: forests and emissions.
- El Niño: warm phase in the Pacific.
- India’s NDC forest sink: 2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2-eq.
How to write about the Amazon carbon shift in Mains
Practice question (15 marks, 250 words): The Amazon turning into a carbon source is a warning for the world. Discuss its causes and lessons for India.
- Intro: Nature study.
- Causes: fire, clearing, drought.
- Global impact.
- Lessons for India’s forests.
- Conclusion: protect sinks to save climate.
Ready lines for your answer
- When the lungs of the Earth start to cough, the whole planet feels it.
- Protecting a forest is cheaper than replacing its work.
Quotable data pointAmazon emitted about 1.17 billion tonnes more carbon than it absorbed.
Photo: Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Exam angle
Prelims: carbon sink, REDD+, El Niño. · Mains GS-III: climate change.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Consider the following statements:
1. A carbon sink absorbs more carbon dioxide than it releases.
2. The new Nature study finds Amazonia acting as a net carbon source.
3. El Niño years can worsen Amazon drought and fire emissions.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Answer (c) & explanation
All three are correct based on the reported study.
REDD+ is best associated with:
Answer (a) & explanation
REDD+ is the UN-backed approach to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Questions students ask about this
What did the Nature study find?
The Amazon now emits more carbon than it absorbs.
What caused this?
Deforestation, degradation and fires, made worse by drought and El Niño.
How much carbon does the Amazon store?
About 100 billion tonnes in plants and soil.
What is REDD+?
A UN climate scheme that rewards countries for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.