Ten UNESCO heritage forests emit more CO2 than they absorb

A study by UNESCO, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows that some of the world's most protected forests emit more CO2 than they absorb. These forests would thus contribute to global warming [4] instead of preventing it.

This situation is caused by various pressures and disturbances due to human activity and to the extent and frequency of fires and extreme weather events.

The published report examines the evolution of the amount of CO2 absorbed and emitted by UNESCO's World Heritage forests between 2001 and 2020.

The 10 sites of forests emitting CO₂