Massive population loss in the Americas helped drive global cooling in the 1600s
In short: Researchers reviewing historical data found that the catastrophic decline of Indigenous populations in the Americas after 1492 may have altered the Earth's climate. By analyzing regional population estimates, the study observed that European epidemics led to the loss of roughly 90% of the native population, triggering a massive regrowth of vegetation across abandoned landscapes.
This large-scale regrowth sequestered significant amounts of carbon, contributing to a measurable drop in atmospheric CO2. The researchers compared population and land-use data against natural climate drivers to see if human-driven changes could explain the 7–10 ppm CO2 decline seen in the late 1500s. However, the study relies on a quantitative review of existing regional estimates, which may vary in accuracy.
The findings suggest that the regrowth of forests in the Americas accounted for nearly half of the global atmospheric CO2 decline during this period.
Why it matters: The collapse of Indigenous societies in the Americas had a measurable, human-driven impact on the global climate system.
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