Recently, environmental researchers published findings that could affect our efforts to combat climate change. Africa’s forests, once some of the strongest natural protectors on the planet, are now releasing more carbon than they absorb. For years, our forests have been called ‘the lungs of the Earth’, but this may soon change.  

In the Congo Basin, the woodlands spanning West and East Africa have always been regarded as powerful climate stabilisers. They are teeming with life and biodiversity and are efficient at storing carbon. According to new studies, this balance has shifted. Since 2010, many of these forests have quietly transitioned from being carbon sinks to carbon sources.  

The figures reveal a harsh truth. Several environmental scientists estimate that from 2010 to 2017, we lost about 106 billion kilogrammes of forest biomass each year. This does not merely mean trees vanishing; it indicates the breakdown of a vital carbon-absorbing system. When forests degrade or diminish, the carbon they once stored securely within their trunks, soil, and leaves begins to seep back into the atmosphere.  

The reasons for the shift are well-known: agricultural expansion as our populations increase, clearing land for housing and construction, mining, logging, and large-scale infrastructure projects. While none of these pressures is new, their combined effects are now pushing forests beyond their natural ability to recover.  

When forests release carbon rather than absorb it, it triggers a chain reaction. More carbon in the atmosphere speeds up climate change, hotter temperatures stress ecosystems further, animals lose habitat, rainfall patterns change, and communities relying on forests for water, food, or fuel begin to feel the strain. It has a domino effect, and this is the first tile falling.  

The fact that this shift has happened ‘quietly’ is concerning. Many global climate models and carbon credit systems relied on African forests remaining carbon sinks. The assumption was that these ecosystems would help ‘buy time’ as the world works towards reducing emissions. However, if forests can no longer fulfil that role, countries will need to reconsider their plans quickly.  

Hopefully, this moment should serve as the wake-up call we need to reshape how we approach forest conservation. Planting new trees is helpful, but it will not be enough on its own. Protecting the forests we already have and involving local communities in managing them is far more effective. Some African countries, such as Kenya and Tanzania, are now implementing initiatives that reward communities for conserving forests, while global organisations are calling for greater funding to protect vital ecosystems.  

Our forests have always been more than just landscapes. They are home to countless species, a cultural identity for many communities, and a safety net for the climate. If they are now starting to “breathe out” more than they “breathe in,” it signals that something is deeply out of balance.