Arctic fires are releasing carbon stored for thousands of years
www.newscientist.com
A study of soils around the Arctic and boreal forests has found that some wildfires are releasing carbon stored over millennia, meaning higher CO2 emissions than assumed

Archive link:

https://removepaywalls.com/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526362-arctic-fires-are-releasing-carbon-stored-for-thousands-of-years/

The wildfires that have been raging in many places around the Arctic in recent years could be contributing much more to global warming than currently thought. It has been assumed that what’s burning is mostly recent plant growth, but a study of soil cores from around the Arctic and boreal regions has shown that these fires are igniting stored carbon that is up to 5000 years old.

  • sapetoku@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    I wonder how much carbon is released by the burning refineries and oil depots in Russia, Iran, UAE, etc.

    Wilfires are for the most part happening naturally while the rest not so much.

    But hey let’s make a diversion.

    • Wren@lemmy.todayOPMEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      Did you read the article? I doubt increased wildfires in millenia-old carbon sinks happening as a direct result of climate change are a diversion. They’re a giant red flag.

    • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
      3·
      2 months ago

      this is global warming effects. the wildfires were not so common when the temperature was lower and for the artic the permafrost thawing is another dangerous feedback loop. This is why if we stopped putting man made greenhouse gasses 100% we will still get warmer. Since we don’t stop we get warmer faster.