Research
Rain May Increase Ocean Carbon Uptake More Than We Thought
State of the Planet (Columbia) · By Rebecca Fowler ·
The Brief
- A Lamont-led study suggests global carbon budgets may underestimate ocean CO2 uptake by roughly 5% to 15%.
- The gap is attributed to carbon budgets not fully accounting for the effects of rain.
- The finding is reported by State of the Planet, published 2026-11-11.
Why it matters
If carbon budgets underestimate ocean uptake, estimates of how much CO2 remains in the atmosphere and how much emissions must fall could shift, so science readers working on carbon accounting should note the possible revision.
Who’s affected
- climate scientists and carbon-budget modelers
- policymakers who rely on carbon budget estimates
- #ocean carbon uptake
- #carbon budget
- #rainfall
- #climate science
- #carbon cycle
A Lamont-led study finds that global carbon budgets may underestimate how much carbon dioxide the ocean absorbs by roughly 5% to 15% because they do not fully account for the effects of rain.
Timeline
Lamont-led study on rain and ocean carbon uptake reported
State of the Planet
Rain May Increase Ocean Carbon Uptake More Than We Thought