The Earth became less “smoky”: emissions hit a record low

In the first half of the year, global emissions from biomass burning reached their lowest level in the 24-year observation period of the Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS). Since 2003, the system has estimated atmospheric emissions using satellite data on active fire hotspots.

In the first 6 months of 2026, the figure became the lowest on record. The main role was played by a decline in seasonal fire activity in tropical Africa — a region that traditionally makes a significant contribution to global emissions.

The result continues a long-term downward trend, which is crucial for air quality and the state of the atmosphere. The first half of the year was the calmest on record in terms of global vegetation burning — the planet literally became less smoky.