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What quantities of greenhouse gases, above all carbon dioxide (CO₂), are released into the atmosphere every year, and how much of this can the land and ocean absorb and thus remove from the atmosphere? The Global Carbon Project (GCP), a worldwide association of climate researchers, takes stock every year. The GCP's latest report shows that global carbon emissions will continue to rise in 2019, albeit at a slower rate than in previous years. more

In 2019, for the first time, six scientists from our Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) at various career levels are included in the Who's Who of highly-cited researchers worldwide. Thus, the MPI-BGC is once again among the top ten Max Planck Institutes with highly-cited researchers. more

Permafrost, the carbon-rich permafrost soil that covers about a quarter of the land area of the Northern Hemisphere, currently stores about twice as much carbon as is contained in the global atmosphere. If this ground thaws due to increasing warming, part of this enormous carbon stock could be irrevocably released into the atmosphere, primarily in the form of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄). more

As part of the "Public Climate School" week of action, events on the topic of "climate change" will be held at several locations in Jena from November 25-29. These are either open to the public or students can work on climate change topics outside of the regular curriculum. more

The app "Flora Incognita" is the first in Germany to use artificial intelligence on a broad scale for plant identification. The app makes plant knowledge available to people of all ages with and without prior botanical knowledge. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment is now funding the further development of "Flora Incognita" until 2024. more

In mid-September, scientists from the ATTO project met in Manaus, Brazil, including many researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. To our particular delight, representatives of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), our project sponsor on the German side, and the Brazilian Ministry of Science were also present. more

The Thuringian Environmental Award, offered by the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Nature Conservation, honors commitment to an environment worth living in and a healthy natural environment. It honors outstanding achievements and commitment to environmental protection in Thuringia that contribute to ecological improvements in the context of sustainable development. more