Importance, drivers and trends of inland water greenhouse gas emissions
Abstract
Inland waters are now recognised as major sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. In this review, we compile and reconcile the most recent global estimates of CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions and place them in the context of continental GHG budgets. Estimates indicate combined inland-water emissions of ~8.2 (6.5-10.6; 90%CI) Pg CO2-eq. yr -1 (100-year horizon), despite inland waters only covering <3% of the land surface. We further synthesize spatially explicit estimates to map global emission patterns, highlighting lowlatitude river networks and the numerous small lakes of the Northern hemisphere as the largest emitters, whereas high latitudes, the tropics, and very small waterbodies remain most uncertain with available observations. We also review the relative importance of in-situ production of GHGs versus external inputs from soils, wetlands and groundwater. Drawing on modelling and budget analyses, we estimate that emissions have increased by ~2.8 (2.3 -3.5; 90%CI) Pg CO2-eq. yr -1 since the Industrial Revolution, equivalent to an offset of about one third of the land carbon sink. Finally, we discuss the likely trajectories of inland-water GHG emissions over the twenty-first century and outline priorities for observations, modelling and management needed to better constrain, and ultimately mitigate, this rapidly evolving component of the global GHG budget.
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BibTeX
@article{lauerwald2026importance,
title = {{Importance, drivers and trends of inland water greenhouse gas emissions}},
author = {Ronny Lauerwald and David Bastviken and Tom Battin and Philippe Ciais and Hanqin Tian and George Allen and Gwenaël Abril and Núria Catalan and Bridget Deemer and Alessandra Marzadri and Yves Prairie and Suzanne Tank and Qianlai Zhuang and Lishan Ran and Josep Canadell and Pierre Regnier},
journal = {Nature Reviews Earth \& Environment},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1038/s43017-026-00818-7},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05779501v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Importance, drivers and trends of inland water greenhouse gas emissions
AU - Ronny Lauerwald
AU - David Bastviken
AU - Tom Battin
AU - Philippe Ciais
AU - Hanqin Tian
AU - George Allen
AU - Gwenaël Abril
AU - Núria Catalan
AU - Bridget Deemer
AU - Alessandra Marzadri
AU - Yves Prairie
AU - Suzanne Tank
AU - Qianlai Zhuang
AU - Lishan Ran
AU - Josep Canadell
AU - Pierre Regnier
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
DO - 10.1038/s43017-026-00818-7
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05779501v1
AB - Inland waters are now recognised as major sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. In this review, we compile and reconcile the most recent global estimates of CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions and place them in the context of continental GHG budgets. Estimates indicate combined inland-water emissions of ~8.2 (6.5-10.6; 90%CI) Pg CO2-eq. yr -1 (100-year horizon), despite inland waters only covering <3% of the land surface. We further synthesize spatially explicit estimates to map global emission patterns, highlighting lowlatitude river networks and the numerous small lakes of the Northern hemisphere as the largest emitters, whereas high latitudes, the tropics, and very small waterbodies remain most uncertain with available observations. We also review the relative importance of in-situ production of GHGs versus external inputs from soils, wetlands and groundwater. Drawing on modelling and budget analyses, we estimate that emissions have increased by ~2.8 (2.3 -3.5; 90%CI) Pg CO2-eq. yr -1 since the Industrial Revolution, equivalent to an offset of about one third of the land carbon sink. Finally, we discuss the likely trajectories of inland-water GHG emissions over the twenty-first century and outline priorities for observations, modelling and management needed to better constrain, and ultimately mitigate, this rapidly evolving component of the global GHG budget.
SN - 2662-138X
ER -