Rising CO2 Levels Greening Earth

  • Released Monday, April 25, 2016
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This image shows the change in leaf area across the globe from 1982-2015. Image credit: Boston University/R. Myneni

This image shows the change in leaf area across the globe from 1982-2015.

Image credit: Boston University/R. Myneni

From a quarter to half of Earth’s vegetated lands has shown significant greening over the last 35 years largely due to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on April 25. The greening represents an increase in leaves on plants and trees equivalent in area to two times the continental United States.

This video provides an overview of the study findings.

For More Information

See NASA.gov

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NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Monday, April 25, 2016.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:48 PM EDT.