Germany’s Forests Become Carbon Source After Years of Damage

(Bloomberg) -- For the first time in decades, German forests have become a source of carbon rather than a sink.

A large-scale government survey, which collected data throughout 2022 and was released Tuesday, showed that drought, storms and bark beetle infestations have caused so much damage that the nation’s forests now release more carbon than they absorb.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, and release it back into the atmosphere during decomposition.

The study, commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, found that the loss of living biomass was greater than the increase. The carbon stock held by forests decreased by 41.5 million tons since 2017, it said.