Carbon stored in landscapes for thousands of years is leaching back into the atmosphere via rivers, and human activity may be to blame
“There is a possibility that we’re disturbing these long-term carbon stores, and so, as a result, we’re seeing more old carbon coming out through this pathway,”
For example, rising temperatures caused by climate change could be triggering the release of carbon from thawing permafrost, or accelerating the rate of rock weathering. Other activities, such as the draining of peatlands or drying out of wetlands, could also be contributing. Dean stresses that more work is needed to determine the extent to which human activity is driving this process, and how the release of carbon is changing over time.
This is not news. Maybe to that one scientist.
The wild thing is that governments want to reestablish some bogs and then count the carbon capture against fossil carbon emissions. It’s like, no, you already released that carbon honey.
This is about a new paper that came out yesterday, co-authored by approx 15 people. Give it a chance! See:
Old carbon routed from land to the atmosphere by global river systems