Smil — “World’s forests have been a large and persistent…”

Source: How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going — Vaclav Smil

Book page: smil-how-the-world-really-works

From: How the World Really Works — Quotes

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world’s forests have been a large and persistent carbon sink (storing more than they emit), locking away about 2.4 billion tons of carbon every year between 1990 and 2007, and satellite data for 2000–2017 indicate that one-third of the world’s vegetated area has been greening (showing a significant increase in the average annual green leaf area, confirming that more carbon is now absorbed and stored) and only 5 percent has been browning (showing significant loss of leaves).[