7/23/2023 0 Comments Carbon sequestration definitionBut plastic pollution in our ocean means plankton are eating micro plastics which is impacting the rate at which they are trapping carbon in our ocean. These microscopic marine algae and bacteria play a huge role in the world’s carbon cycle - absorbing about as much carbon as all the plants and trees on land combined. Phytoplankton are the main reason the ocean is one of the biggest carbon sinks. The ocean has sucked up about a quarter of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere since we began burning fossil fuels for energy during the Industrial Revolution. We want to see stronger laws that protect our soil. We're pushing for a reformed agricultural model. ![]() But it's under threat from increasing global demand for food production, chemical pollution and climate change. The Earth’s soil absorbs roughly a quarter of all human emissions each year, with a large portion of this stored in peatland or permafrost. There are three important strands to this effort: improving laws, empowering forest communities and fighting illegal logging and trade. We work for forests to be used sustainably and protected. Yet despite their vital importance, an area the size of a football pitch is destroyed every second. The world’s forests absorb 2.6bn tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Protecting carbon sinks is essential for tackling climate change and keeping our climate stable. The importance of carbon sinks has never been greater. Our continued reliance on fossil fuels for energy means billions of tonnes of carbon are released into the atmosphere every year. We’re releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than the Earth’s natural carbon sinks can absorb. Now, increased human activity is upsetting the balance. Examples of carbon sources include the burning of fossil fuels like gas, coal and oil, deforestation and volcanic eruptions. The ocean, soil and forests are the world’s largest carbon sinks.Ī carbon source releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is known as the carbon cycle – a process that has been perfectly balanced for thousands of years.Ī carbon sink absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The amount of carbon on Earth has never changed but where carbon is located is constantly changing – it flows between the atmosphere and organisms on Earth as it’s released or absorbed. Get updates on our work What is the carbon cycle?Ĭarbon is essential to all life on Earth – it’s in our DNA, in the food we eat and the air we breathe. In contrast, a carbon source is anything that releases more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs – for example, the burning of fossil fuels or volcanic eruptions. ![]() A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases – for example, plants, the ocean and soil.
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