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Abstract The year 2022 saw record breaking temperatures in Europe during both summer and fall. Close to 30% of the European continent was under severe summer drought with a similarly large area affected (3.0 million km2) as during the recent 2018 drought, but now located in central and southeastern Europe. Multiple sets of observations suggest a reduction of net ecosystem carbon exchange in summer (57-62 TgC) over this area, and specific sites in France even showed a widespread summertime carbon release by forests, as well as wildfires. A warm fall with prolonged carbon uptake offered only partial compensation (up to 32%) for the carbon uptake lost due to drought. This severity of this second drought event in 5 years suggests these impacts to no longer be exceptional, and important to factor into Europe's developing plans for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions that rely on carbon sequestration by forests.

AbstractThe year 2022 saw record breaking temperatures in Europe during both summer and fall. Similar to the recent 2018 drought, close to 30% (3.0 million km2) of the European continent was under severe summer drought. In 2022, the drought was located in central and southeastern Europe, contrasting the Northern-centered 2018 drought. We show, using multiple sets of observations, a reduction of net biospheric carbon uptake in summer (56-62 TgC) over the drought area. Specific sites in France even showed a widespread summertime carbon release by forests, additional to wildfires. Partial compensation (32%) for the decreased carbon uptake due to drought was offered by a warm autumn with prolonged biospheric carbon uptake. The severity of this second drought event in 5 years suggests drought-induced reduced carbon uptake to no longer be exceptional, and important to factor into Europe’s developing plans for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions that rely on carbon uptake by forests.