According to New Scientist, the land carbon sink—the net uptake of carbon dioxide by forests and grasslands—rebounded strongly in 2025. This follows two years of unusually weak absorption. The recovery is attributed to favourable growing conditions across many regions.
The rebound matters because land ecosystems absorb a significant share of human-caused emissions, and swings in their uptake affect how fast carbon builds up in the atmosphere. However, the report warns that if El Niño conditions develop next year, the associated heat and drought could push the land sink into another sharp decline.