What a counterintuitive twist in the climate story.

The Sahara Desert of all places has shrunk by about 8% since the 1980s thanks to rising CO₂ levels fueling a remarkable global green renaissance.

Data from NASA’s AVHRR and MODIS instruments show that 25% to 50% of Earth's vegetated lands have become significantly greener, an area equivalent to roughly twice the continental United States.

CO₂ fertilization drove around 70% of this boom, making plants more efficient with water by reducing the time stomata (leaf pores) stay open, which in turn cuts water loss and boosts drought resistance.

This has allowed vegetation to reclaim arid edges in places like the Sahel (the Sahara's southern fringe), the Middle East and Australia's outback. The Sahara alone had lost around 8% of its desert, equivalent to over 700,000 km² of added green cover and pushing back the barren sand wastes in formerly inhospitable zones.

Atmospheric CO₂ now hovers around 430 ppm (early 2026 levels) enabling plants to thrive where they once couldn't. While climate change brings serious challenges, this greening shows a clear, measurable benefit from higher CO₂: and a greener, more resilient planet in many dry regions.