Soil Carbon Sequestration: An Alternative Option for Climate Change Mitigation

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Options

IPCC and other research agencies working on climate changes suggested a lay layout for the mitigation of climate change related issues. First one is the detection and reduction of greenhouse gas sources both at global and local level. Second is the identification and improvement of sinking pools. In order to meet the National GHGs emission baseline, monitoring, identification and establishment of ambient GHGs in urban areas are highly essential (Figure 1). The growing GHGs concentration in the urban areas or cities popularly known as the ‘greenhouse cap’ has been a source of concern. But considering the pace at which the countries are advancing in all the sectors and the rate at which the population rate is growing, the feasibility of the GHGs emission reduction from urban sources is low both from the political and technical perspective. It was also noted that many countries have dramatically increased the emission rate at the end of the first Kyoto protocol period rather than reduce emission of the GHGs. Scientists, engineers, policy makers, and others are finding the ways to reduce the growing threat of climate change. Though, there is no single solution, yet the development of geoengineering technologies, may play an important role in addressing this issue. Wide range of geoengineering techniques have been developed and proposed as a remedy for climate change but only a few of them are scientifically proven and have political, scientific, and public support. Geoengineering technologies defer in term of their technological characteristic and possible consequences. Geoengineering technologies are primarily divided into two categories viz. CDR (Carbon dioxide reduction) technique and SRM (Solar radiation management).

Figure 1.

Climate change and mitigation initiatives

SDR technique is a way to cool the earth quickly by reflecting some part of the solar radiation before it penetrates deeper into the earth’s atmosphere (Granger & Katharine, 2010). Serious research works are lacking in these technique mainly because of the great uncertainties involved. The technique to capture atmospheric carbon and storing in a place from where it would not be remitted back unless disturbed externally is termed as carbon sequestration or carbon dioxide reduction (CDR) technique. The CDR technique involve both the analysis & enhancement of the natural carbon capturing capacity of ecosystem and the human engineered method of sequestering carbon. Identification and enhancement of carbon sequestration potential of natural ecosystem is the most widely supported type of geoengineering technique. Basically, the natural ecological sequestration includes the upper biomass carbon sequestration by green trees and plants during the process of photosynthesis. The major portion of carbon dioxide capture by the green plants is stored in its body until death. Increase carbon storage by enhancing green plants or afforestation is accepted and actively practice as a part of the clean development mechanism (CDM) projects. Another technique include the below biomass including soil, popularly known as the Soil Carbon Sequestration.