Permafrost and Wetland Emissions Could Cut 1.5C Carbon Budget ‘by Five Years’

Emissions of CO2 and methane from wetlands and melting permafrost as the climate warms could cut the “carbon budget” for the Paris Agreement temperature limits by around five years, a new study says.

These natural processes are “positive feedbacks” – so called because they release more greenhouse gases as global temperatures rise, thus reinforcing the warming.  They have previously not been represented in carbon budget estimates as they are not included in most climate models, the researchers say.

The findings suggest that human-caused emissions will be need to be cut by an additional 20% in order to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5C or 2C limits, the researchers estimate.

Read more at Permafrost and Wetland Emissions Could Cut 1.5C Carbon Budget ‘by Five Years’