Russia volcano erupts after 600 years, Indonesia volcano spews billions of tonnes of CO2

In a breathtaking display of nature's raw power, new video footage has emerged showing the Krasheninnikov volcano erupting for the first time in nearly six centuries. 

The eruption, which occurred on August 2, 2025, sent a massive plume of ash soaring up to 5-6 kilometers high, creating a dramatic spectacle against the Kamchatka sky in the Russian far east, Russian media discovered.

Volcano Discovery reported that explosive activity continues as of 02:58 UTC on August 3.

In Tokyo, Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 28,000 ft (8,500m) altitude or flight level 280 and is moving at 10 knots in East direction, Japan Times reported.

Krasheninnikov is a complex of two overlapping stratovolcanoes inside a large caldera on the eastern coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, located in Kronotsky Nature Reserve to the south of Lake Kronotskoye.

The footage, shared on social media, showcases the volcano's explosive activity, with thick clouds of ash and smoke billowing into the atmosphere. 

The eruption is believed to be linked to a recent magnitude 8.8 earthquake that shook the region, prompting scientists to investigate potential seismic triggers for the volcanic activity.

Krasheninnikov had last erupted around 1463, making this event a rare and significant geological occurrence. 

The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) has assigned an orange aviation code to the volcano, indicating a heightened risk to aircraft due to the ash cloud.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, another volcanic event has drawn attention. 

Mt. Laki Laki has erupted again, releasing billions of tonnes of natural carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. 

This eruption adds to the growing list of volcanic activities worldwide, raising questions about the impact of natural emissions on global climate patterns.

The juxtaposition of these events has sparked debate about the role of natural versus human-induced CO2 emissions. 

While volcanic eruptions like those at Krasheninnikov and Mt. Laki Laki release significant amounts of CO2, experts emphasise that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, remain the primary drivers of long-term climate change.

As the world witnesses these powerful natural phenomena, scientists continue to monitor the situation closely, assessing the environmental and societal impacts of such eruptions. 

Volcanic CO2 emissions, including from Mount Laki-laki's recent eruptions, total ~0.26 Gt/year globally — less than 1% of human anthropogenic output (~40 Gt/year). 

Even major events like this add negligibly to atmospheric CO2 rise. 

In general, volcanoes often cool climate via aerosols, while human emissions drive warming. For example, the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption, one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, had a significant but temporary cooling effect on Earth's climate. 

The eruption injected approximately 15–20 million tons of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) into the stratosphere, forming a global aerosol cloud. 

These aerosols reflected sunlight, reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth's surface. 

This led to a global average temperature decrease of about 0.5–0.6°C (0.9–1.1°F) for 1–2 years following the eruption.