More settled science: "forests are a far more significant carbon sink than previously thought"

As Carbon Sinks, Forests Are Even Mightier Than Assumed - NYTimes.com

According to a study published online on Thursday by the journal Science, the world’s forests absorb 2.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year, or about one-third of the carbon dioxide released through the burning of fossil fuels.

The lead author, Yude Pam, a research forester at the Forest Service, describes the study as the most comprehensive analysis of the global carbon budget to date. It shows that forests are a far more significant carbon sink than previously thought.