Research Indicates CO2 Acts As Fertiliser
In 2000 a widely distributed report claimed that it was distinctly possible that by the year 2050 the Amazon Rainforest could dry out and completely die due to rising temperatures related to carbon emissions. It seems rumours of the Amazon’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The same researcher who made these startling claims back in 2000, Professor Peter Cox from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, has now backtracked, citing the fact that new discoveries indicate that CO2 actually acts as an airborne fertiliser, negating the effect of rising temperatures.
““I am no longer so worried about a catastrophic die-back due to CO2-induced climate change,” the professor said. “In that sense it’s good news.”
While the potential dehydration of the forest no longer appears as possible, the potential of forest fires or other greenhouse gases having disastrous effects on the Amazon is still a concern, with some suggesting that rises in the amounts of ozone and methane in the atmosphere may cause even greater damage than rising carbon levels.
