Africa’s forests more valuable carbon sinks than previously thought: The miombo woodlands in southern Africa store over double the amount of carbon dioxide than previously assumed, Bloomberg reported, citing a study (pdf) by London-based carbon data provider Sylvera which collected data using drones, sensors, and helicopters. The forests can absorb the same amount of carbon as the world’s annual net increase in atmospheric CO2, the research found.

What are the implications? As a result of the study’s findings, the miombo woodlands are now considered much more valuable for carbon offset projects and debt-for-nature swaps. At the same time, destruction of the forests releases much more carbon than expected, making their preservation all the more pressing. Over the past four decades, the area has shrunk to 1.9 mn sqkm — down from 2.7 mn sqkm — due to deforestation from logging.

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