Tropical African rainforests can resist climate change better than originally thought

North of Arusha, Tanzania, across the roadless Aimanjiro Plains in the ancient homeland of the Masai, a pair of armed hunter gatherers and Masai guides lead a woman and group through the bush tracking footprints of wild lions. Photo: AFP

A new study conducted in six African countries suggests that the tropical forests of this continent could be more resilient than others. While this is good news, it could be temporary if the level of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere does not decrease.

Those who experienced the El Niño climate event firsthand between 2015-2016 probably remember the intense heat events it caused in Latin America and Africa. But according to this new research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, tropical forests in Africa may have fared better.