The land’s ability to store carbon has bounced back after two bad years

Check your subscription status, update your details and more. The land’s ability to store carbon has bounced back after two bad years Carbon absorption by forests and grasslands bounced back in 2025 thanks to favourable growing conditions, but El Niño could lead to another sharp slump next year For the past two years, scientists studying the health of forests, grasslands and swamps have been worried. Since 2023, the amount of carbon dioxide Earth’s landscapes have been able to absorb has dropped dramatically in the face of extreme weather, resulting in a record jump in atmospheric CO2 concentrations in two successive years.

But 2025 has bucked that worrying trend, with preliminary research revealing a strong rebound in the land carbon sink and a corresponding decline in the growth rate of atmospheric CO2. **Read more** One of Earth’s most vital carbon sinks is faltering. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with _New Scientist_ events and special offers. #### Environment ### The world’s biggest carbon sink may start emitting CO2 after net zero News #### Environment ### Arctic fires are releasing carbon stored for thousands of years News #### Environment ### Carbon credits are flawed, but they can still help save forests News #### Environment ### Collapse of key ocean current may release billions of tonnes of carbon News Will we observe dark matter as a particle or a wave?### Why the worst El Niño killed millions – and how we can avoid a repeat### Does each new covid-19 variant pose a significant threat?### The Monte Verde controversy is back: who first lived in the Americas?### Can we harness the brain’s deep-cleaning system to prevent Alzheimer’s?### Tattoos could be turned on and off with light### ‘Astonishing’ weight loss when GLP-1 drug used with second medication### We’re finally learning what happens to gifted children in adulthood### Do AIs already process information in a way that gives rise to consciousness?### OpenAI mistranslated mathematics into code for its Navier-Stokes proof We and our partners use cookies and other technologies to collect user data .