{"id":339444,"date":"2024-08-13T14:01:23","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T12:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=339444"},"modified":"2024-08-13T14:01:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T12:01:26","slug":"another-new-study-finds-rising-co2-enhances-planetary-greening-and-reduces-drought-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=339444","title":{"rendered":"Another New Study Finds Rising CO2 Enhances Planetary Greening And Reduces Drought Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From NoTricksZone<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0Kenneth Richard<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026elevated CO2 concentrations not only boosted vegetation growth through the fertilizer effect but also indirectly enhanced water availability [reducing drought risk] by improving water use efficiency.\u201d \u2013 Song et al., 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the more commonly-stated concerns linked to \u201cglobal warming\u201d is that sweltering heat will parch the terrestrial landscape (browning), limit vegetation growth, and foment water shortages \u2013 even widespread drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a new study<\/a><\/strong> suggests the Earth\u2019s rising CO2 concentration has the exact opposite effect in the real world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their extensive trend analysis spanning the last few decades, the scientists determined elevated CO2 was the single most \u201cdominant driver\u201d (accounting for 45% of the correlation) when assessing the link between reducing vegetation water demand and improved water use efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compared to CO2, temperature and precipitation, for example, play a far less significant role (10-11% of the correlation) in influencing the trend in improved vegetation growth and water use efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe CO2 fertilization effect has benefits for both vegetation growth and water use efficiency (WUE).\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026elevated CO2 concentrations could indirectly enhance water availability by improving [water use efficiency]\u2026reducing vegetation water demand.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Image Source:\u00a0Song et al., 2024<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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