Story perspectives

Thawing Permafrost Boosts Weathering, Offsets 35% River CO2

6/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Nature study of 50 Qinghai-Tibet Plateau rivers by Umeå University and East China Normal University finds thawing permafrost can boost rock weathering enough to offset river-borne CO2 emissions.
The study estimates rock weathering offsets about 35 percent of river CO2 emissions on average, with uptake sometimes exceeding 100 percent in discontinuous permafrost catchments.
Researchers say climate models should include both biological releases and geological sinks to assess thawing permafrost’s net impact.

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Story summary

A Nature study of 50 Qinghai-Tibet Plateau rivers by Umeå University and East China Normal University finds thawing permafrost can boost rock weathering enough to offset river-borne CO2 emissions.
The study estimates rock weathering offsets about 35 percent of river CO2 emissions on average, with uptake sometimes exceeding 100 percent in discontinuous permafrost catchments.
Researchers say climate models should include both biological releases and geological sinks to assess thawing permafrost’s net impact.