Overview

• Since 1980, rainy season precipitation in the Amazon has risen by up to 22 percent while dry season rainfall has declined by as much as 13 percent.
• Scientists examined oxygen isotopes in tree rings of Cedrela odorata and Macrolobium acaciifolium to reconstruct historical rainfall trends.
• Altered temperatures in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are linked to the amplified wet and dry seasonal extremes.
• The findings highlight the rainforest’s central role in regulating Earth's climate and raise concerns for water and food security.
• The study’s publication precedes the UN Climate Conference in Belém where nearly 200 nations will discuss climate action in November 2025.