Does the Amazon's drought mean the forest is at a tipping point?

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Writing in the Science Advances journal in 2018, climatologists Carlos Nobre and Thomas Lovejoy used the phrase "tipping point" to refer to the possible impact of environmental destruction in the Amazon, especially deforestation, climate change and fires.

Their influential article estimated that between 20% and 25% of the Amazon forest must be kept intact to prevent portions of it from turning into a drier ecosystem akin to a savannah.

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The Amazon is currently a carbon sink, meaning it absorbs planet-heating carbon. But if too many trees die and rot, it would become a net carbon emitter - accelerating climate change.

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RAISG recommends designating unprotected public land as environmental reserves or recognising them as Indigenous territories, which research shows are particularly well-protected from deforestation.

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