Dried-out Aral Sea bed releases massive amounts of CO₂, new research finds

The Aral Sea, nearly completely drained due to Soviet-era cotton irrigation policies introduced in the 1960s, harbours a little-known climate threat. The exposed lakebed, rich in organic matter from decayed plants, algae and animals, oxidises when exposed to air and releases large amounts of CO₂. The vast barren plain now acts as a major, largely invisible source of greenhouse gas emissions.