Multiple studies demonstrate that draining wetlands releases substantial carbon dioxide and compromises their function as vital carbon sinks, negatively impacting global climate regulation.
The retrieved literature consistently indicates that draining wetlands transforms them from carbon sinks into greenhouse gas sources (e.g., papers 5, 6, and 7). While some papers (like paper 1) note complexities regarding the short-term warming trade-offs of rewetting already-drained areas, the fundamental premise that drainage harms climate regulation by releasing stored carbon is strongly supported.