The number of our planet’s lakes has increased substantially in recent decades, especially small lakes. Bacteria and fungi feeding on dead plants and animals at a lake’s bottom emit vast amounts of CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and other gases. Freshwater lakes probably account for 20% of all global CO2 fossil fuel emissions. Lakes are expected to emit an ever-greater share in the future thanks to climate change. Almost half the new lakes are primarily created by melting glaciers or thawing permafrost. Hopefully this will be accounted for in the UN’s next IPCC climate reports.
science.ku.dk/english/press/news/2022/earths-many-new-lakes/
Climate Crisis Blog
