African rainforests have played a significant role in absorbing carbon dioxide for centuries. However, recent sudden shifts in forest environments are now causing them to release more carbon than they capture, according to new research.
Led by a team of researchers at the National Centre for Earth Observation at the Universities of Leicester, Sheffield, and Edinburgh, the research indicates that Africa lost roughly 106 billion kilograms of forest biomass between 2010 and 2017, the equivalent of the weight of about 106 million cars.
Fundamentally, the findings highlight the loss of forest biomass across the continent and raise urgent concerns for global climate goals.
The research points to a period centering around 2010, when mass deforestation and degradation began outpacing natural regrowth throughout the continent, as the fundamental turning point that gave rise to current conditions. Tropical areas that are contain more moisture and humidity, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and other West African countries, appear to be among those hit the hardest. This is primarily due to agricultural expansion, logging, and land-use change.
“This is a critical wake-up call for global climate policy,” said Professor Heiko Balzter, senior author and Director of the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester. “If Africa’s forests are no longer absorbing carbon, the rest of the world will need to cut emissions even more deeply to stay within the 2°C limit set by the Paris Agreement.”
“Climate finance for initiatives such as the Tropical Forests Forever Facility must be rapidly scaled up to halt global deforestation,” Balzter added.
Researchers reached their conclusions after reviewing decades of observations from cutting-edge satellite technology, including NASA’s GEDI spaceborne laser instrument and Japan’s ALOS-1 radar mission. Along with ground measurements, the team processed data they collected with the help of machine learning algorithms to produce the most detailed map ever created of African biomass changes, with the data now available to governments and climate scientists for use worldwide.
The findings come on the heels of the COP30 Climate Summit in Brazil, where leaders announced the new Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a new initiative that pays nations to preserve their tropical forests. The team’s study emphasizes the importance of these types of efforts, showing that without immediate intervention, deforestation could undermine one of Earth’s most important natural carbon absorbers.
According to Dr Nezha Acil, co-author and researcher at the University of Leicester, “Stronger enforcement against illegal logging and landscape restoration efforts like AFR100—which aims to restore 100 million hectares across Africa by 2030—can make a huge difference.”
“Deforestation isn’t just a local problem,” said Dr Pedro Rodríguez-Veiga, formerly of the National Centre for Earth Observation and now at Sylvera Ltd., in a statement. “If Africa’s forests become a persistent carbon source, global climate targets will be far more difficult to reach.”
“Governments, businesses, and NGOs must collaborate to protect and rebuild these ecosystems,” Rodríguez-Veiga said.
The team’s recent research was published in Scientific Reports.
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com.