Human interventions in the carbon cycle

What are 3 forms of human intervention in the carbon cycle that can mitigate the impacts of climate change?

• carbon capture and storage (CCS)

• modification of photosynthesis

• political initiatives

• afforestation

what is carbon capture and storage - CCS?

uses technology to capture carbon emissions from industrial sources and store them in locations where they are less damaging.

• once captured carbon gas is compressed and transported by pipeline to an injection well

• carbon is then injected as a liquid into suitable geological reservoirs such as an underground aquifer

• scientists estimate this could cut global emissions by 19%. eg 2014 boundary dam, canada’s saskatchewan province

What is modification of photosynthesis?

• trees act as carbon sinks as well as storing carbon in their biomass and soil

• also release moisture into the atmosphere to help moderate earth’s climates

• genetic engineering can be used to make plants more efficient at this

• eg C4 photosynthesis as a pose to C3 is more efficient and is only found in some species of plant such as sugarcane

• introducing C4 traits to C3 may increase productivity

What are political initiatives?

such as the Paris agreement

• paris agreement started at the 2015 dec paris climate conference

• 195 countried adopted first legally binding climate deal which was enforced at a later date

• some aims were

  • limit global increase in temp to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels

  • meet every 5 years to better the deak and make new targets

What is afforestation?

planting trees can increase carbon uptake from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and storing of carbon in trees biomass. it can help increase carbon sequestration and offset emissions from human activities

what is the great green wall project ?

African led project to grow trees across 8,000km of the region (whole width) 15km wide

will be the largest living structure in the world. this began in 2007 and has created more food security and jobs for locals.

it is aimed to be finished by 2030

the wall is built with drought resistant acacia trees, shubs and grasses.

what are the failures and successes of the great green wall?

• example of an initiative where countries are working in partnership with one another. 11 countries signed an agreement in 2010 to begin planting this ‘wall’.

• wall of vegetation will help prevent further soil erosion from the Sahel and improve incomes.

• hasn't been entirely successful - some areas local people have used planted trees for building materials and firewood - only be an effective way of stopping the Sahara Desert encroaching the Sahel, if all countries maintain their tree cover.

What are the two main aims of the great green wall project?

1) combat desertification (restoration of degraded land in sahel region)

2) Mitigate climate change: will sequester CO2 from atmosphere using photosynthesis, where is can be stpred in trees and their soil.

also can help regulate the climate by stabilising temperatures, moderating weather patterns and increasing rainfall (transpiration)

aims to sequester 250million metric tons of carbon to battle climate change

What is the predicted cost of the great green wall?

$8 billion