All articles tagged with #carbon sinks
The article discusses the emerging impacts of climate change on carbon sinks within the global carbon budget, highlighting research from various international institutions that analyze how climate factors influence the ability of natural systems to absorb carbon dioxide, which is crucial for understanding future climate change mitigation strategies.
In 2024, atmospheric CO2 levels hit a record high, driven by continued fossil fuel use, wildfires, and weakening natural carbon sinks, intensifying the climate crisis and raising concerns about faster global warming and extreme weather events.
Scientists warn that relying on natural carbon sinks like forests and oceans to offset fossil fuel emissions could allow countries to "cheat" on net zero targets, as these sinks were not part of the original net zero definition. The study emphasizes the need for "geological net zero," where emissions are counteracted by permanent removal methods. Current rules allow countries to claim carbon removals from managed lands, potentially misrepresenting progress towards climate goals. The study calls for clearer definitions at Cop29 to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown.
At the Cop16 biodiversity summit in Colombia, global leaders emphasized the interconnectedness of climate change and biodiversity loss, stressing that these issues must be addressed together to effectively combat ecological crises. Despite agreeing on the importance of linking climate and nature, countries did not commit to phasing out fossil fuels. The summit highlighted the critical role of natural carbon sinks like forests and oceans, which are under threat from deforestation and climate change, in stabilizing the climate. Leaders from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other nations called for greater recognition and financial support for preserving these ecosystems.