Aral Sea’s Dead Bed Just Dropped 748 Million Tons of CO2 — and It’s Still Spewing

Aral Sea’s Dead Bed Just Dropped 748 Million Tons of CO2 — and It’s Still Spewing

The dried-out bed of the Aral Sea, now a barren expanse the size of Ireland, has already released 748 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — and scientists warn it’s a slow-motion carbon bomb that could still be defused.

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The Aral Sea, once one of the world’s largest inland lakes, has largely turned into a dry lakebed due to decades of water diversion for irrigation. That exposed seabed, now a massive source of greenhouse gas emissions, has released 748 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to new research [197851]. Scientists describe the situation as an ecological disaster that is also accelerating climate change. However, they say there is still time to reverse the damage. Restoring vegetation and managing the dry seabed could trap future emissions and prevent further release of carbon [197851]. The clock is ticking, but experts argue that immediate action could defuse the threat and turn the region from a carbon source back into a carbon sink [197851].

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Aral Sea’s dry bed releases 748 million tons of CO2 #197851

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