Climate change was big driver of historic Amazonian drought, study finds

A historic drought in the Amazon rainforest in 2023 was primarily caused by climate change, rather than naturally occurring weather patterns, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution group. The El Niño phenomenon, historically linked to drought, had a much smaller influence. The Amazon, as the world's largest rainforest, plays a crucial role as a carbon sink. The study highlights the urgent need to address climate change to protect the environmental integrity of the biome and prevent worsening global warming. Water levels in key rivers, vital for the ecosystem, fell to their lowest points in 120 years during the drought. (Financial Times)