Abstract

Here we present a global time-series of global forest above ground biomass from 2000 to 2019, analyzing spatiotemporal patterns of carbon balance, accounting for losses and gains. We generated a global Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) map for the year 2000 and assessed its correlation with different satellite products. We generated a multi-year analysis of AGB changes at the pixel level was generated, estimating carbon (C) loss and gain. Finally, we estimated the C losses due to forest clearing and wildfires analyzing their trends across biomes and countries. Our results show that the global mean annual loss was 2.88 ± 0.33 PgC yr−1, while global mean C gain was 2.95 ± 0.43 PgC yr−1, resulting in a neutral to sink behavior of −0.06 ± 0.58 PgC yr−1. The mean annual C loss by forest clearing was 1.04 ± 0.03 PgC yr−1, with an increasing trend of +0.03 ± 0.01 PgC yr−1. Eight biomes and 54 countries showed a significant increasing trend of C loss by forest clearing. Wildfires C losses reached 0.351 ± 0.02 Pg C yr−1, representing the 33.71% of forest clearing C losses. Boreal forest presented the highest C losses from wildfires, while significant increasing trends were evidenced in five biomes. We also find increasing trends of wildfire C loss in 20 countries while decreasing trends were identified in 10 countries. Our findings highlight the importance of designing strong policies to halt deforestation as agreed in the recent COP26 and provide information to identify priority areas to start implementing these policies in the short term.