Wildfires are depleting the carbon budget that humanity has set to limit global warming, according to a recent study.
The authors warn that this trend is approaching—or may have already crossed—a “critical temperature threshold” where fires trigger major changes in tree cover and carbon storage.
“Alarmingly, the latest temperature at which, globally, these impacts become pronounced is 1.34C – close to current levels of warming [above preindustrial levels],” said the UK Met Office, which led the research.
Massive wildfires are ravaging forests in Brazil, the U.S., Greece, Portugal, and even the Arctic Circle, as the planet experiences two of its hottest years on record.
These fires have a dual impact on the climate: they release carbon from burning trees and reduce forests’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide. This exacerbates the heat in the Earth’s system, already driven by the burning of fossil fuels like gas, oil, and coal.
The Met Office reports global temperatures are now 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels.
Rising temperatures make droughts more frequent, shorten rainy seasons, and leave forests more vulnerable to wildfires. In South America, this problem is worsened by deforestation for agriculture. A recent study revealed the continent is becoming hotter, drier, and more prone to fire.
Additionally, the Amazon is experiencing a “critical slowing down,” with over a third of the rainforest struggling to recover from repeated droughts, further turning forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources.
These feedback loops accelerate climate change, making it harder to curb global heating even before the planet hits the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement.
“Fires are reducing the ability of forests and other ecosystems to store carbon, narrowing our window to keep global warming in check,” said Dr Chantelle Burton, the study’s lead author.
Other feedbacks, like the rapid melting of ice caps reducing Earth’s ability to reflect sunlight, are also alarming climatologists.
Experts say the climate crisis will worsen unless humanity, especially in wealthier nations, dramatically reduces fossil fuel consumption.
——————————————————————————
At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about rewilding the UK to stop the decline in our wildlife.
Donate now and join in the solution!