The unchecked and ongoing buildup of greenhouse
gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere poses an unparalleled danger to both humanity
and the environment. The planet
is warming at a rate that prohibits natural adaptation, and which is leading to
catastrophic loses of biodiversity. Changes in temperatures and weather patterns
have increasingly destructive impacts on soils and oceans, threatening the
safety of millions across the globe.
Responding to this threat calls for a
multifaceted action that includes adaptation and mitigation. Mitigation focuses
on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy adoption, energy
efficiency, sustainable land use, and transitioning to low-carbon technologies.
Alongside
efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, the
international community is developing strategies to “trap” and sequester gases
that have already been emitted, essentially creating “sinks” in which GHGs can
be contained for long periods of time.
A carbon
sink is broadly defined as “anything that absorbs more carbon from the
atmosphere than it releases into it”. Typical
examples of natural carbon sinks are entire ecosystems such as forests, oceans
and soils, within which smaller units of living organisms absorb carbon (e.g.
trees, crops, microorganisms and animals). However, those naturally occurring
carbon sinks are facing threats of their own, often being depleted or reaching
carbon content capacity. In
response, the creation of artificial carbon sinks is being put forward as a
tool for additional carbon removal from the atmosphere. Technologies designed
to actively remove carbon from the atmosphere are being developed.
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