Rising Northern Forest Fires Drive Surge in Global Carbon Emissions

A new study reveals that climate change is intensifying forest fires in boreal regions, significantly increasing carbon emissions worldwide.

The study published in Science shows a 60% increase in global carbon emissions from forest fires over the past two decades.
Northern boreal forests, particularly in North America and Eurasia, have seen emissions triple since 2001 due to frequent and severe fires.
Climate change is creating hotter and drier conditions, making northern forests more susceptible to large-scale fires ignited often by lightning.
These fires are burning through carbon-rich peatlands, releasing centuries-old carbon stores and weakening the planet's carbon sinks.
International reporting standards currently fail to account for the increased fire emissions linked to climate change, complicating carbon budget tracking.