Fires responsible for the emission of more than 8 million tonnes of CO2 worldwide between 2023 and 2024

An alarming toll and colossal figures. The fires caused the emission of 8.6 million tons of CO₂ between March 2023 and February 2024, according to the results of a study by the British University of East Anglia in particular. This represents the equivalent of 15% of annual human greenhouse gas emissions.

According to this study, the toll is catastrophic: 3.9 million km² went up in smoke, which is equivalent to seven times the surface area of ​​France. Several areas were affected by gigantic fires, starting with the boreal forests. In Canada, 232,000 people had to be evacuated in August 2023 and CO emissions₂ were more than nine times higher than the average of the last two years.

Other regions have suffered, such as the Amazon or Hawaii, which also experienced the deadliest fire in its history in August 2023, causing the death of more than 100 people. Greece, once again in the grip of violent fires, also experienced the largest fire ever recorded in the European Union. The African savannah was relatively spared, which prevented a new CO record from being broken.₂ emitted worldwide. But over the period studied, emissions are still 16% higher than the average.

Climate change is facilitating extreme weather conditions and causing major fires. In the Western Amazon, forest fires are 20 times more likely. And this is already happening: according to another study published in June, the number and intensity of extreme forest fires have more than doubled worldwide over the past 20 years due to human activity. But according to the research group, it is not too late and the solution is known to all: drastically reduce CO emissions.₂.