Net carbon losses in Central African forests revealed by high-resolution biomass change maps

Dense humid forests in Central Africa hold vast biomass carbon stocks but are increasingly affected by small-scale disturbances that are difficult to detect with current satellite observations. Here, we generate 10 m canopy height maps for 2019–2022 using deep learning with spaceborne lidar and Sentinel-1/−2 imagery, and derive aboveground biomass changes at 30 m resolution. The maps reveal widespread small disturbance patches, 87% smaller than 1 ha. These account for 48% of biomass carbon gains in regrowing forests and 37% of carbon losses from deforestation. We estimate a net forest carbon loss of −58 ± 14 Tg C yr−1, with gross losses of −126 ± 21 Tg C yr−1 partially offset by gains of 68 ± 10 Tg C yr−1. The Democratic Republic of the Congo emerges as a net carbon source (−46 ± 11 Tg C yr−1), representing 79% of the regional loss, primarily due to degradation, despite having the larges…