Fighting on Thai-Cambodia border halts amid shaky truce

Surin (Thailand) (AFP) – A shaky ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia appeared to be holding Tuesday, as military commanders met despite Bangkok's allegations the truce had been breached with overnight skirmishes.


Issued on: 28/07/2025 - FRANCE24

Evacuees laugh at a performance at an shelter in the Thai border province of Surin on July 28 after the ceasefire announcement © Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP


Following peace talks in Malaysia on Monday, both sides agreed an unconditional ceasefire would start at midnight to end fighting over a smattering of ancient temples in disputed zones along their 800-kilometre (500-mile) border.

On Tuesday, the Thai military said Cambodian troops "had launched armed attacks into several areas" in "a clear attempt to undermine mutual trust", but said clashes later stopped.

Cambodia's defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata insisted there had been "no armed clashes against each other in any regions".

However, both sides said morning meetings between rival military commanders along the border -- scheduled as part of the pact -- had gone ahead.

Thailand's army said three meetings on the frontier had seen senior officers agree to de-escalation measures including "a halt on troop reinforcements or movements that could lead to misunderstandings".

But a foreign affairs spokeswoman for Bangkok's border crisis centre, Maratee Nalita Andamo, warned on Tuesday afternoon: "In this moment, in the early days of the ceasefire, the situation is still fragile".
Deadliest clashes in years

Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai shook hands over the ceasefire deal Monday at peace talks hosted by Malaysia and attended by delegates from the United States and China.

"I saw photos of the two leaders shaking hands," said 32-year-old pharmacy worker Kittisak Sukwilai in the Thai city of Surin -- 50 kilometres from the border.

People who fled the border return to their homes in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, following the ceasefire © TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP


"I just hope it's not just a photo op with fake smiles -- and that those hands aren't actually preparing to stab each other in the back."

In Cambodia's Samraong city -- 20 kilometres from the frontier -- an AFP journalist said the sound of blasts stopped in the 30 minutes leading up to midnight, with the lull continuing until midday.

"The frontline has eased since the ceasefire at 12 midnight," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in a Tuesday morning message on Facebook.

Jets, rockets and artillery killed at least 42 people since last Thursday and displaced more than 300,000 -- prompting intervention from US President Donald Trump over the weekend.

On the Cambodian side of the border, evacuees were seen leaving shelter centres Tuesday to return home, but on the Thai side acting Prime Minister Phumtham urged citizens "to await official instructions" before departing.

People who fled their homes near the border between Cambodia and Thailand gather at a food distribution site on the grounds of a pagoda in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia © TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP


The flare-up was the deadliest since violence raged sporadically from 2008-2011 over the territory, claimed by both because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907.

A joint statement from both countries -- as well as Malaysia -- said the ceasefire was "a vital first step towards de-escalation and the restoration of peace and security".
'Good faith'

Both sides are courting Trump for trade deals to avert his threat of eye-watering tariffs, and the US State Department said its officials had been "on the ground" to shepherd peace talks.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre) looks on as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (left) and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai (right) take part in talks on a possible ceasefire in Putrajaya © MOHD RASFAN / POOL/AFP

"I have instructed my Trade Team to restart negotiations on Trade," Trump said in a message on his Truth Social platform, taking credit for the ceasefire deal after it was announced.

"The US and I are still in negotiations," Thailand's Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira told reporters on Tuesday. "We're still waiting for the US to decide whether to accept our proposal."

Hun Manet thanked Trump for his "decisive" support, while his Thai counterpart Phumtham said the truce should be "carried out in good faith by both sides".

Each side had already agreed to a truce in principle while accusing the other of undermining peace efforts, trading allegations about the use of cluster bombs and targeting of hospitals.

More than 188,000 people have fled Thailand's border regions, while around 140,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia.

burs-jts/fox

© 2025 AFP

Ceasefire in Cambodia–Thailand border conflict to commence at midnight, July 28

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shakes hands with acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai at peace talks in Kuala Lumpur, brokered by Malaysia on July 28, 2025. / Cambodian PM Hun Manet - FB

By bno - Malai Yatt - Phnom Penh Office July 28, 2025

Cambodia and Thailand have reached an agreement to implement a ceasefire starting at midnight on July 28,  following high-level peace talks held in Kuala Lumpur earlier today between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, according to Kiripost. 

The decision, which brings a halt to five days of escalating violence along the border, was made during a dialogue facilitated by Malaysia in its capacity as ASEAN Chair, with co-organisation by the United States and the involvement of China.

According to the agreement, hostilities between the two nations will cease immediately and unconditionally as of 12:00am on July 28. Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed gratitude to his Thai counterpart and voiced hope that the breakthrough would pave the way for renewed bilateral discussions, aimed at restoring diplomatic relations and promoting long-term stability along the border.

As part of the de-escalation efforts, an informal gathering between Cambodian and Thai regional military commanders, specifically from Cambodia’s Military Regions 4 and 5, and Thailand’s Regions 1 and 2, is scheduled for 7:00 am on July 29. This will be followed by a broader meeting involving defence attachés, to be chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

In a joint press conference following the talks, Prime Minister Anwar announced that Cambodia will host a General Border Committee meeting on August 4 to further develop frameworks for peaceful cooperation.

Both nations have agreed to resume direct communication between their prime ministers, foreign ministers, and defence ministers. Anwar also revealed that foreign and defence officials from Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand have been instructed to establish a detailed mechanism to guide the implementation, monitoring, and verification of the ceasefire. “This mechanism will form the basis for enduring peace and mutual accountability,” he stated.

The peace negotiations, which came as clashes entered their fifth day, were actively mediated by Malaysia and supported by the United States, with China also taking part. While Prime Minister Hun Manet had consistently advocated for a ceasefire, progress only materialised after intervention by US President Donald Trump.

Hun Manet acknowledged both Anwar and Trump for their instrumental roles in brokering the agreement. “This was a highly productive meeting, delivering immediate and meaningful outcomes to halt the violence that has caused numerous deaths, injuries, and displacement,” he said.

He disclosed that approximately 300,000 individuals had been displaced by the conflict, 140,000 in Cambodia and 160,000 in Thailand. He expressed optimism that the ceasefire would serve as a stepping stone towards normalised relations and regional stability.

“I fully appreciate today’s result and am confident it will bring about positive change for hundreds of thousands of citizens on both sides,” he stated. “It is time to end the fighting and begin rebuilding trust, confidence, and cooperation between our two nations.”

Acting Prime Minister Wechayachai echoed this sentiment, emphasising Thailand’s commitment to a peaceful resolution. “While steadfast in defending our sovereignty and protecting our citizens, we are prepared to pursue all necessary guarantees to ensure the ceasefire is honoured sincerely by both parties,” he affirmed.

Alvaro Uribe: Colombia's first ex-president convicted of a crime

Bogotá (AFP) – Alvaro Uribe, president of Colombia from 2002 to 2010, was wildly popular in rightwing sectors for his war on leftist guerrillas during a particularly vicious period of the country's six-decade-old conflict.


Issued on: 28/07/2025 -FRANCE24

A man of short posture and deliberate speech, Uribe is a divisive figure: loved and hated in equal measure © Luis ACOSTA / AFP



Today, opinion polls suggest the 73-year-old remains the most trusted politician in the South American country confronting an upsurge in violence.

Born to a landowner in the western Antioquia department, Uribe was elected to Colombia's highest office at the height of the conflict between guerrillas fighting poverty and political marginalization, rightwing paramilitary groups set up to crush the leftists, and the military.

He is himself accused of having had ties to paramilitary fighters who often had the backing of agrarian elites. Uribe denies the claims, which are at the heart of his criminal conviction Monday for witness tampering.

As president, Uribe adopted a hard line against the Marxist-inspired Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which he accused of killing his father in a botched 1983 kidnapping attempt.

With US backing for his campaign, several FARC leaders were killed on Uribe's orders and soldiers were deployed en masse in operations that gave many Colombians a sense of security, although the violence never diminished.

Uribe is a staunch Catholic © Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP


Uribe, a US- and British-educated lawyer who prides himself on being a workaholic who cannot sing, dance or tell jokes, counts a passion for horses among his few distractions.

He is a staunch Roman Catholic who practices yoga in the morning and prays at night.

Uribe entered politics after his father's death, serving as a senator, mayor of his hometown Medellin, and governor of Antioquia -- Colombia's most populated department.

As president, he successfully pushed a constitutional change that allowed him to be re-elected for a second consecutive term -- a reform later overturned by Colombia's highest court.

Arguing he needed continuity to see out his battle against armed insurgents and the drug trade they controlled, Uribe also tried, unsuccessfully, to secure a third presidential term.

Betrayal

Uribe earned praise from Washington for his tough anti-drug policies and strong economic growth as president.

Detractors call him an authoritarian who failed the poor.

After his presidency ended, Uribe served another term in Congress from 2014-2020 and has continued campaigning for the political right and his Democratic Center party since then.

Colombian ex-pesident Alvaro Uribe remains wildly popular despite claims of rights abuses committed during his term © JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP

He was instrumental in the choice of his successor: Juan Manuel Santos, who would go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts towards a peace deal with the FARC in 2016.

For Uribe, this was the ultimate betrayal.

His vehement rejection of the agreement that saw the FARC down arms in 2017 has been gaining ground as recent peace efforts have failed under President Gustavo Petro -- Colombia's first-ever leftist president, in office since 2022.
Divisive figure

A man of short posture and deliberate speech, Uribe is a divisive figure: loved and hated in equal measure.

He is known for losing his temper, once being recorded insulting a journalist and threatening physical violence.

Even fervent detractors recognize his oratory and administrative skills.

Supporters see him as a 'political martyr' © Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP


But his legacy has been tainted by numerous corruption and espionage claims swirling around members of his entourage.

Uribe is under investigation for more than 6,000 civilian executions and forced disappearances allegedly committed by the military under his command.

He has also testified in a preliminary probe into a 1997 paramilitary massacre of subsistence farmers when he was governor of Antioquia from 1995 to 1997.

During his life, Uribe claims to have survived 15 assassination attempts, including a rocket attack by former guerrillas on the day of his first inauguration.

Uribe is married and has two grown sons who have had to answer claims that they rode on his presidential coattails to become successful entrepreneurs.

His conviction on Monday made him the first former Colombian president to be found guilty of a crime.

© 2025 AFP

Living brain tissue reveals 80% of genes behave differently than assumed

Mount Sinai researcher discusses revolutionary Living Brain Project findings in new interview

Genomic Press

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Alexander W. Charney, MD, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA.

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Credit: Alexander W. Charney, MD, PhD

NEW YORK, New York, USA, 29 July 2025 – In a revealing Genomic Press Interview published today in Genomic Psychiatry, Dr. Alexander W. Charney describes how treating patients with schizophrenia transformed his scientific pursuits from abstract questions to an urgent mission, ultimately leading to discoveries that challenge fundamental assumptions in neuroscience research.

The interview explores Dr. Charney's creation of the groundbreaking Living Brain Project at Mount Sinai, which has collected over 300 brain tissue samples from living patients undergoing neurosurgery. His team's findings reveal a startling reality: 80% of genes exhibit different expression levels in living versus postmortem brain tissue, calling into question decades of neuroscience research based primarily on postmortem samples.

From Big Questions to Bold Solutions

"I am drawn to big questions — how things work, how people work," Dr. Charney explains in the interview. However, it was his direct experience treating patients with schizophrenia that transformed intellectual curiosity into moral imperative. "I was struck by how little we truly understand the brain at a molecular level, particularly when compared to other organs. That gap felt like both a scientific challenge and a moral imperative."

This realization propelled Dr. Charney to build unprecedented research infrastructure. As Director of the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine and Vice Chair of the Windreich Department of AI in Human Health at Mount Sinai, he recognized that achieving his goals required creating entirely new systems. "I moved into leadership as it became clear to me that the systems I needed to accomplish my goals did not exist yet, and no one else was working on building them," he shares.

Pandemic as Catalyst

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a defining moment in Dr. Charney's career trajectory. Having graduated medical school in 2012 and completed residency in 2018, he represents what he calls "a new generation of leaders in medicine." When the pandemic struck New York City in March 2020, he made the bold decision to redeploy his entire laboratory to the crisis response effort.

This pivot proved transformative, leading to landmark publications in Nature Medicine, Cell, and Science. As Lead Principal Investigator, he secured $22 million for the NIH RECOVER Initiative to study long COVID, demonstrating how crisis can accelerate both scientific discovery and leadership development.

Building Tomorrow's Medicine Today

Beyond the Living Brain Project, Dr. Charney co-directs the Mount Sinai Million Health Discoveries Program, one of America's largest precision medicine initiatives. In partnership with Regeneron Genetics Center, the program will sequence one million patients over five years, with particular emphasis on advancing health equity for underrepresented populations.

The interview reveals Dr. Charney's multifaceted approach to advancing psychiatric care. As Executive Director of the Blau Adolescent Consultation Center for Resilience and Treatment and Head of the Brain and Data Sciences Lab, he integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning to accelerate therapeutic development. His team's work spans psychiatric genomics, computational psychiatry, and multi-omics analysis.

A Lifelong Mission

Throughout the interview, Dr. Charney's ultimate goal remains clear: developing cures for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. "My lifelong goal is to develop cures for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Everything I do in my career is with an eye towards that goal," he states, referencing his team's recent Nature Genetics publication on the subject.

The interview also captures a lighter moment from a Mount Sinai retreat, where Dr. Charney interviewed Ameca, described as the world's most advanced humanoid robot. This interaction, showcasing the robot's lifelike expressions and conversational abilities, embodied the institution's bold vision for AI's role in healthcare's future.

Values and Vision

When discussing the scientific community's challenges, Dr. Charney doesn't mince words about what he sees as a fundamental problem: "We have a crisis of reproducibility driven by researchers prioritizing personal prestige over finding solutions for patients." His commitment to scientific rigor permeates his approach, as he emphasizes the importance of questioning assumptions and ruling out all alternative explanations before accepting findings.

Outside the laboratory, Dr. Charney finds balance through long-distance sea kayaking, describing his love for spending time on rivers, lakes, and oceans. His favorite possession, a Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar named Gertrude, hints at the creative outlets that complement his scientific pursuits.

Dr. Alexander W. Charney's Genomic Press interview is part of a larger series called Innovators & Ideas that highlights the people behind today's most influential scientific breakthroughs. Each interview in the series offers a blend of cutting-edge research and personal reflections, providing readers with a comprehensive view of the scientists shaping the future. By combining a focus on professional achievements with personal insights, this interview style invites a richer narrative that both engages and educates readers. This format provides an ideal starting point for profiles that explore the scientist's impact on the field, while also touching on broader human themes. More information on the research leaders and rising stars featured in our Innovators & Ideas – Genomic Press Interview series can be found in our publications website: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/.

The Genomic Press Interview in Genomic Psychiatry titled "Alexander W. Charney: Leveraging genomics to advance the treatment of mental illness," is freely available via Open Access on 29 July 2025 in Genomic Psychiatry at the following hyperlink: https://doi.org/10.61373/gp025k.0077.

About Genomic Psychiatry: Genomic Psychiatry: Advancing Science from Genes to Society (ISSN: 2997-2388, online and 2997-254X, print) represents a paradigm shift in genetics journals by interweaving advances in genomics and genetics with progress in all other areas of contemporary psychiatry. Genomic Psychiatry publishes peer-reviewed medical research articles of the highest quality from any area within the continuum that goes from genes and molecules to neuroscience, clinical psychiatry, and public health.

Visit the Genomic Press Virtual Library: https://issues.genomicpress.com/bookcase/gtvov/

Our full website is at: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/

At theMount SinAI Retreat, Alex Charney interviewed Ameca (created by Engineered Arts), the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, in a captivating live demonstration that showcased her lifelike expressions and ability to engage with humans through conversation. Their exchange highlighted the promise of human–AI interaction and embodied the retreat’s bold vision for the future of AI in healthcare.

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Alexander Charney

Alexander W. Charney: Leveraging genomics to advance the treatment of mental illness

Credit

Alexander W. Charney

Journal

Genomic Psychiatry

DOI

10.61373/gp025k.0077 

Method of Research

News article

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Alexander W. Charney: Leveraging genomics to advance the treatment of mental illness

Article Publication Date

29-Jul-2025

ORIGINAL

 

2020 REMAKE

 

World’s largest tropical peatlands revealed to be more than 40,000 years old

University of Leeds

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*With images* 

 

World’s largest tropical peatlands revealed to be more than 40,000 years old 

 

A peatland complex in the Congo Basin which is known to be a globally important carbon store is twice as old as previously thought, according to a new scientific study.  

 

An international team of researchers has shown that the tropical peatland complex, which is the world’s largest, began forming about 42,000 years ago, more than 20,000 years earlier than previously thought. 

 

Dr Greta Dargie of the University of Leeds, School of Geography, led the study. She said “These peat swamp forests are a globally important carbon store, holding the equivalent of three years of global fossil fuel emissions. We now know that they are among the most ancient tropical peatlands on the planet”.  

 

Peat is a type of soil that forms in wet environments. Made up of dead plant litter, it is an important part of the carbon cycle. While it is well known that the Congo Basin’s forests store a lot of carbon in the biomass of the living plants, the work of Dr Dargie and others over the past decade has shown that Congo Basin peatlands store a similar amount of carbon out of sight below ground. This realisation has revolutionised scientific understandings of the importance of the region for the global carbon cycle. 

 

The new study, published today in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters, began with teams of scientists trekking through remote and inaccessible peat swamps in both the Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo, using hand-operated equipment to collect samples of the peat from up to six metres below the forest floor.  

 

Back in the laboratory, tiny amounts of the peat were dated using radiocarbon, to determine when the peat began to form in each sampled location. Over a period of 10 years the scientists collected and dated more than 50 cores from across the central Congo Basin, from which they were able to build up a picture of the development of the peatlands through time. 

 

It is not just the great age of the peatlands which came as a surprise to the scientists. Prof. Ifo Suspense from the University of Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, in the Republic of the Congo, said: “One of the most unexpected findings which came from our new data is that some of the older peatlands in central Congo Basin began forming during periods of the past when we think that the regional climate was a lot drier than it is today.  

“Our previous working hypothesis was that the peat began forming in response to a wetter climate at the start of the Holocene epoch, around 12,000 years ago. But we now know that factors other than climate must have made the soils wet and waterlogged enough for peat to form. This raises questions about how the peatland landscape, and the large amount of carbon it stores, will respond to 21st century climate change.” 

 

The Congo Basin peat swamps provide important resources for local communities such as fish, bushmeat and building resources. Their remoteness means that the swamps are important refuges for species such as forest elephants, dwarf crocodiles, lowland gorillas and bonobo chimpanzees.  

 

Compared to many tropical regions, the Congolese peatlands have largely escaped threats such as deforestation and drainage, although the drive to improve local livelihoods and extract resources such as timber and oil for export could potentially come into conflict with the goals of biodiversity and carbon conservation. 

 

“The great age of the peatlands drives home how valuable they are,” said Dr Pauline Gulliver of the University of Glasgow, a co-author of the study.  

 

“There has been peat here, quietly drawing carbon out of the atmosphere, and safely storing it for at least forty millennia. The peat can’t be replaced on any timescale that’s meaningful to society.  

 

“Where peatlands have been disturbed by people around the planet, they have released huge amounts of carbon to the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. The carbon in the Congo basin peatlands requires careful treatment so that the same thing does not happen here.” 

Ends 

Photos available here  

Photo credits 

P2310474: swamp forest, DRC. Credit: Greta Dargie 

P1030272: palm swamp forest, Congo. Credit: Ian Lawson 

P2310868: peat core, Congo. Credit: Greta Dargie  

20190727_111213: The field team moving camp to a new field site by boat, DRC. Credit: Greta Dargie 

 

Further information 

The work was lead from the University of Leeds, in collaboration with Aix Marseille University, France, Christian-Albrechts-Universitaet zu Kiel, Germany, L'Institut Supérieur Pédagogique Mbandaka, DRC, Space Intelligence, UK, Université de Kisangani, DRC, Université Marien Ngouabi, Congo, Université Pédagogique Nationale, DRC, University College London, UK, University of Bremen, Germany, University of Glasgow, UK, University of Leicester, UK, University of Nottingham, UK, University of South Florida, USA, University of St Andrews, UK.  

For media enquiries, please contact Kersti Mitchell via k.mitchell@leeds.ac.uk 

 

University of Leeds  

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 40,000 students from about 140 different countries. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research.  

We are a values-driven university, and we harness our expertise in research and education to help shape a better future for humanity, working through collaboration to tackle inequalities, achieve societal impact and drive change.   

The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, and is a major partner in the Alan Turing, Rosalind Franklin and Royce Institutes www.leeds.ac.uk   

Follow University of Leeds or tag us into coverage: Bluesky | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram 

 

 

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Journal

Environmental Research Letters

DOI

10.1088/1748-9326/ade905 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Timing of peat initiation across the central Congo Basin.

Article Publication Date

29-Jul-2025

Researchers reveal role of wetlands in terrestrial carbon sink change

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters

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Spatial pattern of global wetland carbon sequestration

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Credit: LI Junjie

Wetlands are among the most efficient ecosystems for carbon (C) sequestration, storing more than 30% of global soil C in only 3–13% of Earth's land surface. However, the spatiotemporal patterns of wetland C uptake and their role in regulating global land C sink dynamics have been poorly quantified. As a result, wetlands have not been explicitly incorporated into the models used to constrain the global C budget, making it difficult to accurately estimate land carbon sink and formulate evidence-based wetland management policy.

To address this problem, a research group led by Prof. DING Weixin from the Institute of Soil Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has utilized a newly developed dynamic global wetland water level (WL) dataset to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of wetland carbon sequestration from 2000 to 2020.

Their findings were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

The researchers compiled 934 in situ observations from 258 peer-reviewed publications and the FLUXNET database to estimate a global mean wetland net ecosystem production (NEP) of 56.4 g C m‒2 year‒1. By integrating the NEP dataset with environmental datasets and machine-learning models, they estimated a mean annual global wetland C sequestration of 1,004 Tg C for the period 2000–2020, with 70% contributed by tropical wetlands.

They discovered that South America, Asia and Africa were the top three continents for wetland C sequestration, collectively accounting for 79% of the global total.

The study further revealed that global wetland C sinks declined through 2005, followed by a subsequent recovery. Overall, global wetland C sequestration was roughly stable over the two-decade period, with gains in northern mid-high latitudes offsetting declines in the tropics and southern mid-high latitudes. At the continental scale, South America's capacity for wetland C sequestration decreased during the study period, completely offsetting collective wetland C sink gains in Africa, North America, Asia, and Europe. 

This study highlights hydrological change as a primary driver of increasing regional variability in wetland C sinks. It also notes that intensifying hydrological extremes resulting from climate change may undermine the resilience of wetland C sinks and the ecosystem services they support.

Finally, based on the estimates from Friedlingstein et al. (2022), the researchers found that terrestrial C sink growth rates decreased from 0.075 Pg C yr‒2 (P < 0.05) during the period 1980‒1999 to 0.037 Pg C yr‒2 (P > 0.05) during the period 2000–2020. The temporal trajectory of global wetland C uptake from 2000 to 2020 showed a positive correlation with terrestrial C sinks and can explain 33% of temporal variations in terrestrial C sinks.

These findings provide a crucial new perspective: The leveling off of wetland carbon sequestration has significantly contributed to slowing the increase in global terrestrial carbon sink in recent decades. All in all, this study provides important new data for global C evaluation reports such as those by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Temporal patterns in global and regional wetland carbon sequestration

Wetland carbon sinks versus land carbon sinks across the globe

Credit

LI Junjie

Journal

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41559-025-02809-1 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Two decades of improved wetland carbon sequestration in northern mid-to-high latitudes are offset by tropical and southern declines

Article Publication Date

22-Jul-2025