IF THE area that gets affected by wildfires each year were considered a country, it would be the second largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2), surpassed only by China. In 2023, wildfires globally released 7,330 million tonnes of CO₂, according to the EU's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). This is significantly higher than the 6,000 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO, and other gases) emitted by the US in 2022 (see 'Big emitters', p18).
This year, as many as 11 countries have reported wildfires as of May 15. In Canada, home to 9 percent of the world's forests, significant fires were reported as early as May 9, leading to evacuation orders in several towns in British Columbia and Alberta provinces. By mid-May, an estimated 55 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) had already been released into the atmosphere from these fires, according to CAMS. The May 2024 North American Seasonal Fire Assessment and Outlook, issued by government agencies in the US, Canada and Mexico, highlights that the current warm, dry, and windy conditions could trigger additional wildfires.
This raises concerns that the 2024 Canadian wildfires could follow the path of the record-breaking 2023 event, which destroyed 18.4 million hectares an area bigger than Greece and released 1,760 MtCO2.
The actual wildfire emissions could be even higher because calculating them is challenging and "probably underestimated," says Cynthia Whaley, a researcher at Environment and Climate Change Canada, a government department that coordinates the country's environmental policies.
Esta historia es de la edición June 16, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición June 16, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara