A new study shows that continued deforestation in the Amazon could trigger widespread rainforest dieback with as little as 1.5°C of global warming. Researchers warn the tipping point could arrive as soon as 2031 if forest loss reaches 22 per cent.
Scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research modelled the combined effects of rising temperatures and deforestation through 2050. Their findings indicate that the critical warming threshold for Amazon dieback drops by about 2°C when forest loss is included, compared with earlier estimates that ignored deforestation.