Africa's forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds

Africa's Great Carbon Heist: Forests Turned from Climate Saviour to Climate Villain

A new study has revealed a shocking truth about Africa's forests - they've transformed from being a crucial carbon sink to becoming a significant contributor to the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The data, compiled using satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms, paints a stark picture of how human activities have ravaged the continent's rainforests since 2010.

The results show that African forests lost an astonishing 106 billion kilograms of biomass per year between 2010 and 2017 - equivalent to the weight of approximately 106 million cars. The tropical moist broadleaf forests in Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and parts of west Africa were disproportionately affected by this loss.

This drastic decline is largely attributed to human activities such as farming, infrastructure projects, and mining, which have led to widespread deforestation and degradation of ecosystems. The study's authors warn that if urgent action isn't taken, the world risks losing one of its most critical natural carbon buffers - the forests that once played a vital role in regulating the Earth's climate.

The International Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), launched by Brazil, aims to mobilize over $100 billion for forest protection by paying countries to leave their forests untouched. However, with only a handful of nations having invested a paltry $6.5 billion into the initiative so far, experts are sounding the alarm that more needs to be done.

Professor Heiko Balzter, a senior author on the study, stressed the importance of rapidly scaling up the TFFF and implementing stronger safeguards to protect the world's tropical forests. "Policymakers ought to respond by putting better safeguards in place to protect the world's tropical forests," he said. The deadline set at Cop26 in Glasgow four years ago to end global deforestation by 2030 seems increasingly out of reach, with progress being slow and inadequate.

As the consequences of climate change continue to unfold, it is imperative that governments and private investors step up their efforts to preserve Africa's precious forests. Time is running out, and the fate of our planet hangs in the balance.

I'm not convinced by these numbers... 106 billion kilograms of biomass per year? How did they even measure this? Can we get some more info on their methodology? And what's with the satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms being used to study forest loss? Are they really reliable? Also, what's up with Brazil launching this TFFF initiative without any guarantees that it'll actually make a difference? How much of that $100 billion is going directly to African countries vs. going through some sort of middleman? And what's the plan for ensuring that this money is being used effectively and not just lining the pockets of corrupt officials?

I don't usually comment but... I'm really worried about this study on African forests . 106 billion kg of biomass lost per year? That's crazy! I mean, I knew deforestation was a big problem, but I didn't realize it was that bad. It makes sense though, with all the farming and infrastructure projects going on, it's no wonder the forests are getting destroyed.

I don't think $6.5 billion is enough for the TFFF either . I mean, we need to protect those forests, they're our best chance at regulating the climate. And what's with only a handful of nations investing in this initiative? Shouldn't every country be on board to save the planet?

I'm not sure if I believe that deadline is realistic tho . I think it's great that there's a plan to mobilize funds, but we need to see some real action from governments and private investors. We can't just talk about saving the forests, we need to do something about it .

omg this is wild 106 million cars worth of carbon loss per year...like what is happening to africa's forests it's crazy how human activities have ravaged those places since 2010 i remember when climate change was still a thing on facebook but now it's like super urgent we need to do something ASAP the international tropical forest forever facility sounds cool and all but $6.5 billion is like nothing compared to what's needed hopefully governments and private investors step up their game soon because if not...we're in big trouble

I think this study is kinda harsh on Africa . I mean, we all know about deforestation, but to say that African forests are becoming a "climate villain" feels a bit dramatic . We should be supporting communities who have lost their livelihoods due to forest loss rather than stigmatizing the entire continent .

And what's with the TFFF initiative? $100 billion is a pretty steep price tag for saving some trees . I know it's not easy, but maybe we need to rethink our approach and find ways to make sustainable practices more affordable and accessible .

I'm also worried about the impact of this study on African nations' pride and identity . Climate change is a global issue, let's work together to address it, rather than piling on guilt . We need to support each other, not blame entire regions for our own messes

I'm really worried about the state of Africa's forests . The fact that they're no longer absorbing CO2 but instead releasing it into the atmosphere is a devastating blow to our planet's climate resilience. We need to acknowledge the role human activities have played in this degradation and take immediate action to reverse it .

The International Tropical Forest Forever Facility might be a good start, but we need more countries to invest in it . It's also crucial that policymakers put stronger safeguards in place to protect these forests . We can't afford to lose our most critical natural carbon buffers .

I'm reminded of the concept of "natural capital" – our planet's ecosystems have a value that far exceeds what we can monetize . Africa's forests are a prime example of this, and it's time for us to treat them with the respect they deserve . We must scale up conservation efforts and prioritize sustainable development .

I'm so done with all these tree-hugging initiatives trying to save Africa's forests. It sounds like a bunch of hooey to me. The fact that humans are destroying their own environment doesn't mean it's someone else's problem. We should be focusing on making our own lives better, not lecturing others about what they're doing wrong. I'm all for the money aspect of paying countries to leave their forests untouched, but let's be real, no one's actually going to take a bribe from a bunch of rich folks. And $6.5 billion? That's peanuts! We should be spending way more than that on our own problems instead of throwing it at other people's issues. Africa's forests will survive just fine without all the fuss.

man... 106 BILLION KG OF CARBON JUST GONE UP IN SMOKE ... how did we let it get this far? africa's forests used to be like, our savior or something, but now they're just contributing to the problem... farming, infrastructure, mining... these human activities are KILLING the ecosystems. we gotta do more, like, NOW. $100 BILLION ISN'T ENOUGH, WE NEED MORE. and what's with cop26? seems like a joke now... 2030 deadline is gonna be a stretch if we don't get our act together... the clock is ticking, and africa's forests are dying.

I'm not buying into this whole "Africa's forests are a climate villain" thing . I mean, think about it - the fact that they're losing biomass means they can't absorb as much CO2 from the atmosphere? Isn't that actually good for the planet? It's just that humans have been messing with them so badly that it's had the opposite effect. We need to focus on finding ways to reduce our own emissions, not blame the forests for something we've caused . And let's be real, $100 billion doesn't exactly seem like a lot considering how much we're talking about here... maybe it's time to rethink what "conservation" means in this context

I'm literally heartbroken reading about this news... like, we knew deforestation was a big deal, but 106 million cars worth of biomass lost?! It's just mind-boggling. We gotta take action ASAP . I mean, think about it - forests are basically our lungs, right? They absorb carbon and produce oxygen. Without them, our planet is gonna be toast . We need governments & private investors to step up their game and protect these precious forests. It's time for urgent action , not just empty promises like what happened at Cop26...

omg u guys i just read this study about africa's forests & its literally heartbreaking they used to be so good for the climate now they're contributing to greenhouse gas emissions lol what's going on?! i remember learning about how important forests are in school and now it feels like we've lost that natural carbon sink anyway, i think we need to step up our game & invest more money into protecting these forests like the TFFF initiative sounds promising but only a few countries have invested so far what do u guys think should be done?!

OMG, I'm like totally worried about those African forests! They're supposed to be like, super good for the environment and all? But now they're just contributing to greenhouse gas emissions? That's crazy talk! What's going on with farming and infrastructure projects and mining? Can't people just, like, slow down and think about the consequences? I mean, I know we need progress and stuff, but at what cost? The world needs its natural carbon buffers, you know? Can anyone explain why governments and private investors aren't doing more to help? Like, where's the money going? Is it just a few nations that are investing in forest protection or is there some bigger issue at play?

omg u gotta think about this african forests r like literally getting destroyed by humans rn they were supposed 2 be helping save the climate but now they're actually bad 4 it idk what's more surprising the fact that they lost so much biomass or that ppl still dont care bout the planet its like, we knew deforestation was a problem but i guess we thought it wudnt affect us as much cuz africa meanwhile brazil is trying 2 save african forests by paying countries 2 leave them alone lol what if thats just a copout tho? shouldnt ppl b doin more? its not that hard 2 invest in preserving the environment, but i guess that requires actual effort & resources

its wild how africas forests are basically turning into a problem lol they used to be so vital for combatting climate change now they're losing billions of kg of biomass every year its like a ticking time bomb and its not just africa too, we all gotta take responsibility. the international tropical forest forever facility is a good start but more needs to be done especially with cop26s deadline looking super dodgy. governments need to step up their game and invest in preserving our planet's natural carbon buffers

you know what's wild? i just saw a video of a squirrel doing backflips on a tree stump in Japan it was so cute! anyway, back to africa... forests are like, super important for carbon sinks and all that jazz... but have you ever noticed how some trees can actually help prevent wildfires? like, certain species of trees have evolved to produce fire-resistant resin or something i read about it once... might be worth looking into more...

omg this is so alarming!!! i was literally just reading about the importance of saving our forests not just a few days ago... it's like, how did we let things get to this point? we need to act NOW and support initiatives that help preserve these carbon sinks! maybe we can learn from other countries' experiences with the TFFF program and scale up the efforts here in africa... the thought of losing these forests is just devastating

I'm so worried about this - I mean, Africa's forests were supposed to be like a superhero saving the world from climate change, but now they're contributing to the problem? It's crazy! And it's not just the forests themselves, it's all the people and animals that depend on them too... I feel like we're playing with fire here

I'm trying to understand why human activities are having such a huge impact on the forests. Is it really that hard to find alternatives for farming and infrastructure projects? And what about mining? Can't we just reduce our reliance on fossil fuels or something? I know it's not going to be easy, but come on, we can do better!

The idea of paying countries to protect their forests is interesting, but $6.5 billion is just a drop in the ocean compared to what we need to spend . I guess it's good that there's some money being put into it, but more needs to be done ASAP!

I'm also really confused about why the deadline for ending global deforestation by 2030 seems so unreachable now . What's going on? Is everyone just not taking this seriously enough?

We need to take action NOW and make sure our leaders are prioritizing the protection of Africa's forests

I just read this article about African forests losing so much carbon and I'm literally stressing about it . Like, we all know climate change is real but seeing the numbers is crazy - 106 billion kg lost per year? That's like, a whole lot of cars being taken off the road or something . I don't get why people can't just leave their forests alone and let them do their thing . Farming, infrastructure projects, and mining are all major causes of deforestation and it's wild that some countries aren't even investing enough into forest protection . We need to step up our game and protect those forests ASAP or else we'll be in big trouble . I hope the TFFF initiative can make a difference and get more countries on board .

I'm getting really worried about these forests in Africa, they're like the ultimate carbon sponges, but we're basically turning them into climate villains . The numbers are crazy - 106 billion kg per year? That's like driving a gazillion cars down the road and just releasing all that CO2 into the air... no wonder our planet is struggling to breathe. I mean, I know some of these forests have been impacted by mining and farming and stuff, but it's not like we can't do anything about it . We need to get more countries on board with the TFFF initiative and make sure we're protecting those forests ASAP. Every little bit counts, right?

I'm so worried about this! I was on a safari trip last year in Tanzania and saw how beautiful and untouched the forests were. It's heartbreaking to think that they're being destroyed at such an alarming rate. I remember my friend who works with conservation organizations, she told me that even small things like palm oil plantations can contribute significantly to deforestation. We need to make some drastic changes, like investing more in sustainable farming and reducing our plastic use...