A new study in Nature reveals that thawing permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau can trigger rock weathering in rivers, which consumes carbon dioxide and may offset emissions from ancient soil carbon. Researchers studied 50 rivers and found that in areas with patchy permafrost, weathering-driven carbon uptake sometimes exceeded river CO2 emissions. The findings challenge the view that thawing permafrost is only a carbon source. Rock weathering in rivers could counterbalance some emissions, but the process is complex and not a simple climate fix. The authors urge climate models to include geological carbon sinks alongside biological ones for accurate projections.
