Globally, global forests absorb approximately 7.6 billion tonnes of CO2 per year, once the emissions of forest fires, deforestation and other disturbances are counted. Temperate forests, like those of the United Kingdom, are responsible for almost half of this adoption.
But can we count on this carbon well as pollution increases? By 2050, atmospheric CO2 concentrations will be 40% higher than today's levels if current trends continue, at around 570 parts per million (PPM). Many trees today will always be standing. How will they answer? A plot of old oaks in the United Kingdom helps scientists to predict how the forests of the world will react to these higher levels of carbon dioxide, because since 2017, scientists pumping CO2 around these trees, raising local concentrations to our future climate.
