The Amazon rainforest is now adding to climate change, says experts

A new study that has been recently published has revealed that the Amazon rainforest may now be a player in climate change.

The new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change explored how much carbon dioxide the Brazilian Amazon rainforest produced and absorbed from 2010 through to 2019. According to the study, the Amazon has actually "flipped" from absorbing more carbon dioxide than it produces to producing more carbon dioxide than it absorbs.

Between 2010 and 2019, Amazon released 16.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide and only absorbed 13.9 billion tonnes. Jean-Pierre Wigneron, a scientist at France's National Institute for Agronomic Research and co-author of the study, said, "We half-expected it, but it is the first time that we have figures showing that the Brazilian Amazon has flipped and is now a net emitter." The same study also found that deforestation increased by fourfold in 2019 compared to the two previous years.

France's National Institute for Agronomic Research said, "Brazil saw a sharp decline in the application of environmental protection policies after the change of government in 2019", which coincides with the change in leadership with President Jair Bolsonaro taking office.

Wigneron also said, "We don't know at what point the changeover could become irreversible".

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