UNESCO researchers have found that human activities and disasters tied to climate change have transformed ten of the world’s forests, often referred to as World Natural Heritage sites, from carbon deposition to carbon emitter.
Given that the sites are highly valued and protected, a record 10 out of 257 forests examined show a carbon surplus due to human activities between 2001 and 2020, UNESCO says.
The site is thought to absorb 190 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, equivalent to about half of the UK’s annual emissions of fossil fuels, a UNESCO report has found.
#WorldHeritage forests play a key role in regulating climate.
For the 1st time, our new report has estimated how much CO2 they absorb & release.
Learn more about our findings: https://t.co/SQOI6d2mjC #ClimateChange @WorldResources @IUCN @globalforests pic.twitter.com/SPU48XBbeC
— UNESCO ποΈ #Education #Sciences #Culture πΊπ³π· (@UNESCO) October 28, 2021