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Dark boreal forests of Canada absorb enough heat to cancel up to a 5th of their climate benefit, scientists warn

Dark boreal forests of Canada absorb enough heat to cancel up to a 5th of their climate benefit, scientists warn
Phys.org Thursday 20 August 2026, 14:00 UTC 1 min read
Key Points

Dense evergreen plantations in Canada's boreal forest absorb so much winter sunlight that the resulting surface warming can offset 6% to 20% of the climate benefit they are credited with. Canada's current carbon accounting frameworks measure the carbon stored but largely omit the heat absorbed by these forests, according to a new policy brief from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). The result is inflated mitigation estimates and public...

Dense evergreen plantations in Canada's boreal forest absorb so much winter sunlight that the resulting surface warming can offset 6% to 20% of the climate benefit they are credited with. Canada's current carbon accounting frameworks measure the carbon stored but largely omit the heat absorbed by these forests, according to a new policy brief from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH). The result is inflated mitigation estimates and public investment in forests that may not deliver the cooling they promise.
Canada (LOCATION) the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (ORG)
Originally published by Phys.org Read original →

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