{"id":23495,"date":"2025-02-25T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=23495"},"modified":"2026-03-04T22:43:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T06:43:54","slug":"los-angeles-trees-absorb-more-carbon-emissions-than-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/los-angeles-trees-absorb-more-carbon-emissions-than-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"L.A.\u2019s urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, USC Dornsife study finds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                          \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensors_Top-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensors_Top-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensors_Top-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensors_Top-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Halftone effect photos showing leaves and a view of the Los Angeles skyline sitting over a partly cloudy sky\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Urban trees are doing a better job of capturing fossil fuel emissions in Los Angeles than researchers thought, but they aren\u2019t enough to neutralize the city\u2019s emissions. (Composite: Letty Avila. Image source: iStock.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=sustainability\">Sustainability<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>L.A.\u2019s urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, USC Dornsife study finds<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  New research using a network of air-quality sensors finds that urban greenery plays a bigger role in offsetting fossil fuel emissions than expected \u2014 offering insights that could help cities fight climate change.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Ileana Wachtel<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">February 25, 2025<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 2.26076008c-1.08745421 1.058837-1.68841575 2.518315-1.68841575 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\n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Key points:\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n      <ul>\n              <li><p>Researchers found that vegetation in a section of central L.A. offsets a surprising 60% of fossil fuel emissions (CO<sub>2<\/sub>), particularly during the growing season.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>The first-of-its-kind study used a dense array of air-quality sensors to track carbon emissions and absorption in real time, providing a more detailed picture than traditional methods.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>The findings suggest that expanding urban greenery could play a bigger role in reducing the city\u2019s carbon footprint than previously thought.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n              <li><p>The USC-led approach could serve as a model for other cities aiming to monitor and cut emissions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n          <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  \n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainability.usc.edu\/assignment-earth\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-16067 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-150x150.png\" alt=\"On a gold background, &quot;Asgmt Earth&quot; appears inside a black circle and &quot;USC&quot; inside a small, white circle that slightly overlaps the black circle.\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-500x500.png 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric-320x320.png 320w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2023\/07\/AE_News-Rubric.png 1250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>Los Angeles\u2019 trees are working harder than we thought<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A new <a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.est.4c11392\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/publicexchange.usc.edu\/\">Public Exchange<\/a> and USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences finds that some trees in central L.A. absorb significantly more carbon dioxide than expected \u2014 offsetting a surprising share of fossil fuel emissions during the warmer months when trees are most active.<\/p>\n<p>The research, recently published in <em>Environmental Science &amp; Technology<\/em>, provides one of the most detailed measurements to date of how urban trees impact air quality. Researchers found that vegetation in the study area absorbed up to 60% of daytime fossil fuel CO\u2082 emissions in spring and summer and about 30% annually \u2014 placing Los Angeles among cities with the highest recorded CO<sub>2<\/sub> uptake rates.<\/p>\n<p>To track CO\u2082 in real time, the research team launched what they call the <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/sensors-map-greenhouse-gases\/\">Carbon Census array<\/a>, deploying 12 high-resolution BEACO\u2082N sensors across a 15-by-6-mile section of L.A.\u2019s Mid-City. The sensors mapped how CO<sub>2<\/sub> concentrations changed as air moved through the urban landscape, enabling researchers to factor in wind speed and direction and urban density to determine to what extent local greenery was offsetting emissions.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/migration-uploads\/CarbonCensus_Berelson_InStoryA-3525.jpg\" alt=\"An open Carbon Census sensor box shows electronic wiring and pollution-detecting components.\" width=\"400\" height=\"258\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Carbon Census sensor\u2019s sophisticated electronic components can detect a variety of atmospheric compounds. (Photo: Mike Glier.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cYou can think of emissions like passengers on a train,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/profile\/william-berelson\/\">Will Berelson<\/a>, who led the research and is professor of Earth sciences, environmental studies and spatial sciences at USC Dornsife. \u201cAs the wind moves pollution through the city, some gets picked up and some gets dropped off. These sensors let us see that process in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Unlike some models that estimate CO\u2082 levels based on fuel sales and traffic data and other models that assess the CO<sub>2<\/sub> that lands on a particular sensor, this study, which ran from July 2021 to December 2022, measured CO<sub>2<\/sub> directly, yielding a more precise and localized estimation of emissions.<\/p>\n<p>To distinguish CO\u2082 emitted from fossil fuels versus natural sources, researchers tracked carbon monoxide, which behaves similarly in the atmosphere and is released when fossil fuels burn but not by plants or animals.<\/p>\n<p>Although the study focused on a section of L.A., the findings provide valuable insights that could apply to other urban areas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Trees and Air Quality: LA\u2019s Trees Absorb More Carbon Than Expected\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ouBkden7j9w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>L.A. trees are helping \u2014 but they\u2019re not enough<\/h2>\n<p>One of the study\u2019s biggest surprises was that trees absorb the most CO\u2082 during summer, despite it being L.A.\u2019s driest season. Satellite imagery shows L.A.\u2019s urban greenery is remarkably verdant in summer, likely due to irrigation, groundwater access from leaky pipes and resilient tree species.<\/p>\n<p>Still, trees can\u2019t keep pace with emissions. As expected, CO\u2082 levels spiked during rush hour, reinforcing the fact that, while greenery helps, it can\u2019t offset pollution from cars, buildings and industry on its own.<\/p>\n<p>The study\u2019s findings help inform the USC <a href=\"https:\/\/publicexchange.usc.edu\/urban-trees-initiative\/\">Urban Trees Initiative<\/a>, a partnership between USC, the City of Los Angeles and community-based organizations focused on expanding urban greenery in communities that need it most. By identifying where trees absorb the most carbon, the research provides data-driven insights that could help guide future planting efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNature is helping us,\u201d Berelson said, \u201cbut we can\u2019t rely on it to do all the work.\u201d In fact, the study estimates that urban vegetation absorbs only about 30% of annual fossil fuel emissions in the study area, underscoring the urgent need for clean energy, improved public transit and broader emissions reductions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23497\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23497\" style=\"width: 980px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensor-Map-InStoryA.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23497\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensor-Map-InStoryA.jpg\" alt=\"Map shows locations of Carbon Census sensors around Los Angeles\" width=\"980\" height=\"528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensor-Map-InStoryA.jpg 980w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensor-Map-InStoryA-500x269.jpg 500w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/02\/Berelson-CO2-Sensor-Map-InStoryA-768x414.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23497\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">USC Dornsife researchers deployed a dozen Carbon Census sensors across an area of L.A.\u2019s Mid-City region that covers four major freeway intersections and aligns with L.A.\u2019s west-to-east airflow patterns, enabling a unique approach to modeling contaminant emissions. (Composite: Letty Avila. Image source: iStock.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Looking ahead to more carbon emissions tracking<\/h2>\n<p>Building on the study\u2019s success, the USC team has expanded its sensor network, adding eight more of the BEACO\u2082N sensors to the east of the original study area and west into Santa Monica. These sensors, developed as part of the University of California, Berkeley\u2019s BEACO\u2082N project, provide high-resolution emissions data rarely available in urban areas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur goal is to monitor more areas of L.A. to define baseline values of CO<sub>2<\/sub> emission and identify where vegetation is making the biggest impact and where more greenery is needed,\u201d explained Berelson, who holds the <span class=\"professional-title\">Paxson H. Offield Professor in Coastal and Marine Systems<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>He believes this real-time monitoring approach could serve as a blueprint for cities worldwide to track and reduce emissions more effectively.<\/p>\n<p>Los Angeles has set a goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050, and while its urban greenery provides a natural boost, Berelson stresses that cutting fossil fuel use remains the most critical step in fighting climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Related Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a 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celebrates Tyler Prize winner for turning fungal science into global conservation<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists, using a network of air-quality sensors, find that the city\u2019s urban greenery offsets fossil fuel emissions more than expected, offering insights that could help cities fight climate change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":23501,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,15],"tags":[159,65,69,80,60],"class_list":["post-23495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-and-technology","category-sustainability","tag-earth-sciences","tag-environment","tag-pollution","tag-public-exchange","tag-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized 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