India, Sept. 4 -- Natural carbon sinks absorbed around 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions from human activities in 2025, but weakening forests and oceans and inadequate financial incentives to protect them could undermine climate strategies built around their continued capacity to absorb carbon, according to a new analysis by Wood Mackenzie.

The energy and commodities research firm estimates that oceans absorbed approximately 12 GtCO2 in 2025, while forests absorbed a further 6 GtCO2. Against gross global carbon dioxide emissions of 48 GtCO2 a year from energy, agriculture, waste and land use and forestry, the natural sinks reduced net emissions to approximately 30 GtCO2.

Net CO2 emissions from human activities have neverthe...