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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Jonathan Watts

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

A logging truck deep in the jungle of Cameroon
A logging truck deep in the jungle of Cameroon in central Africa. Researchers said urgent action was needed to save the world’s great natural climate stabilisers. Photograph: imageBroker.com/Alamy

Africa’s forests have turned from a carbon sink into a carbon source, according to research that underscores the need for urgent action to save the world’s great natural climate stabilisers.

The alarming shift, which has happened since 2010, means all of the planet’s three main rainforest regions – the South American Amazon, south-east Asia and Africa – have gone from being allies in the fight against climate breakdown to being part of the problem.

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