Sönke Zaehle

In the annual ranking of the world's most cited and thus most influential scientists, five authors from our institute are once again represented in 2024. more

The Global Carbon Project shows that fossil CO₂ emissions will continue to rise in 2024. There is no sign of the rapid and substantial decline in emissions that would be needed to limit the impact of climate change more

Nitrogen fertilizers and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuels pollute the air and drinking water, lead to the over-fertilization of water bodies and terrestrial ecosystems, reduce biodiversity and damage the ozone layer. On balance, however, they have a cooling effect on the climate. more

Anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O), a much more potent greenhouse gas per molecule than carbon dioxide or methane, increased by around 40% between 1980 and 2020. In 2020, anthropogenic emissions into the atmosphere reached more than 10 million tons per year, according to the new report "Global Nitrous Oxide Budget 2024" by the Global Carbon Project. more

A recent study published in Nature, co-authored by Sönke Zaehle, suggests that eucalyptus trees do not benefit from rising CO₂. Increased CO₂ levels cause soil microorganisms  to hold on to their phosphorus. This soil mineral, which is essential for tree growth, is therefore less available. more