{"id":161682,"date":"2025-04-10T19:51:19","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T14:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=161682"},"modified":"2025-04-10T19:51:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T14:21:19","slug":"wildfires-and-the-changing-carbon-balance","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/wildfires-and-the-changing-carbon-balance","title":{"rendered":"Wildfires and the Changing Carbon Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a new study published in<\/span><b> Nature Climate Change, the increasing ferocity of wildfires<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means that the <\/span><b>Arctic Boreal Zone, once a significant carbon sink<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is now experiencing a major shift, with over <\/span><b>30% of the region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> turning into a<\/span><b> carbon source.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Wildfires<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wildfires are large<\/span><b>, uncontrolled fires<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that rapidly spread across vegetation, forests, and grasslands, often fueled by dry conditions, wind, and high temperatures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wildfires<\/span><b> release significant amounts of carbon dioxide<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into the atmosphere, disrupt ecosystems, destroy habitats, and contribute to a dangerous feedback loop that accelerates global warming.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.698%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>What is Carbon Sink?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Carbon Sink<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores more carbon dioxide (CO\u2082) from the atmosphere than it releases.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Function<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It helps in reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases, mitigating climate change effects.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Examples<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Forests, oceans, and soil are major natural carbon sinks, while technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) represent artificial sinks.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Global Trend of Wildfires<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Wildfires worldwide are becoming more frequent and intense, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">driven by worsening climate conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Recent Wildfire Events<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Eaton and Palisades fires in California<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> destroyed more than 14,000 structures and scorched approximately 16,000 hectares of land.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In February 2025, a major wildfire nea<\/span><b>r Ofunato city in Japan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> burned nearly 2,900 hectares, damaged around 210 buildings, and displaced over 4,200 residents.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>Copernicus Air Monitoring Service (CAMS),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> wildfires released 800,000 tonnes of carbon globally in January 2025, nearly<\/span><b> four times more than the same period a decade ago<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data from<\/span><b> NASA\u2019s Terra and Aqua satellites <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">revealed that the <\/span><b>heat radiated from fires in early 2025 exceeded the 2003\u20132024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> average by an entire order of magnitude.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>In India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, states like<\/span><b> Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh recorded the most wildfires in 2024,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> although the number of<\/span><b> fire hotspots nationwide is slightly declining.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Factors Contributing to Rising Wildfire Incidents<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rising Temperatures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Rising temperature is making the atmosphere and vegetation drier making them more susceptible to fire.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising land temperatures in <\/span><b>India\u2019s northwest, northeast, and central regions <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are <\/span><b>accelerating by 0.1\u00ba\u20130.4\u00ba C per decade, increasing wildfire risks.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Changing Heatwave Patterns <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Heatwaves are occurring earlier, moving slower, and lasting longer, creating ideal conditions for wildfires.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Example; On\u00a0 an average, <\/span><b>\u00a0heat waves have slowed down nearly 8 km\/day each decade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> lasted longer by about four days <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the effects being particularly drastic in <\/span><b>North America and Eurasia.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heat waves have also<\/span><b> increased in frequency, from about 75 events averaged <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 1979-1983 to about <\/span><b>98 ove<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">r 2016-2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dry Spells<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0 Prolonged dry spells due to climate change are drying out soil and vegetation, making forests more flammable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Carbon Emissions from Forest Fires<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Forest fires in India alone emit around 69 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, further aggravating global warming.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Arctic Boreal Zone<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> Arctic Boreal Zone,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> located along the<\/span><b> Arctic Circle,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the vast northern ecosystem that spans across 26 million square kilometers, including:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Tundra (treeless regions)<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Boreal forests (taiga)<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Wetlands<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is found primarily in regions like Alaska, Canada, Northern Europe, and Siberia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Indigenous communities in the Arctic Boreal Zone.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Inuit: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most widespread Arctic coastal people, living from Arctic Russia to Canada to Greenland. The word \u201cInuit\u201d means \u201cthe people\u201d in the Inuit language of Inuktut.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Saami: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live in the circumpolar areas of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Northwest Russia.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Aleut:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Also known as Unangan, lives in Alaska.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Yupik:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Also known as Yupiit, lives in Alaska.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Climate Characteristics<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The region experiences extreme cold with long, harsh winters and short summers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Permafrost (frozen ground) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a defining feature,<\/span><b> remaining below 0\u00b0C for at least two consecutive years.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short growing season with limited sunlight for vegetation growth, especially in the tundra areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-161668 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/102-67f7cbde7f9f9.webp\" alt=\"Wildfires\" width=\"497\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/102-67f7cbde7f9f9.webp 858w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/102-67f7cbde7f9f9-300x242.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/102-67f7cbde7f9f9-768x619.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cold-adapted species such as <\/span><b>reindeer, Arctic foxes, and various migratory bird species inhabit the region.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role as a Carbon Sink<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Historically, the Arctic Boreal Zone has acted as a carbon sink, meaning it absorbed more carbon than it emitted.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is known for being <\/span><b>soil organic carbon reservoirs.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This role was due to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> presence of vast areas of forests and wetlands <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that sequester carbon through vegetation and soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Permafrost, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which locks up vast amounts of carbon and organic matter.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Transformation of the Arctic Boreal Zone (ABZ)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sink to Source:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> While the <\/span><b>Arctic Boreal Zone (ABZ)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> absorbed carbon from<\/span><b> 2001 to 2020<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>one-third of the zone has been releasing carbon dioxide <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since 2020.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alaska accounts for <\/span><b>44% of the newly detected carbon emissions from the ABZ.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Northern Europe and Siberia <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contribute<\/span><b> 25% and 13%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, respectively, to the region\u2019s carbon emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Factors contributing to the Transformation<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Thawing tundra permafrost,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> driven by global warming, is releasing<\/span><b> large amounts of carbon dioxide <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as the <\/span><b>soil warms and organic matter decomposes.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Increased wildfire activity in the Arctic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is burning through natural carbon reservoirs, releasing even more carbon and accelerating warming.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Feedback loop: Wildfires release carbon,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which contributes to global warming, <\/span><b>creating hotter, drier conditions <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that lead to<\/span><b> more wildfires<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> forming a<\/span><b> destructive feedback loop.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Events like the<\/span><b> Eastern Siberia fires in 2003<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the<\/span><b> Timmins wildfire in 2012<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have significantly contributed to this shift by releasing massive amounts of carbon.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>2024 Arctic Report Card by NOAA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> supports these findings, stating that the<\/span><b> Arctic tundra is now a net source of carbon emissions.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also 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source.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":161666,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[4642],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161682"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161682"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161687,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/161682\/revisions\/161687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161682"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=161682"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=161682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}