Carbon sequestration

According to a recent study conducted in Maharashtra and Odisha, soil carbon sequestration may help fight climate change.

The International Crops Research Institute for The Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has published a modelling study that revealed how the right combination of fertiliser, biochar, and irrigation could potentially increase soil carbon by as much as 300 per cent and help mitigate climate change.
Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that burns organic material (biomass) from agricultural and forestry wastes in a controlled process called pyrolysis.
The carbon sequestration increased by more than 300 per cent in combination with fertiliser, biochar, and irrigation.
The study is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13: Climate Action), which is on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).
Carbon sequestration occurs both naturally and as a result of anthropogenic activities and typically refers to carbon storage.

Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration
Terrestrial carbon sequestration is the process through which CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees and plants through photosynthesis and stored as carbon in soils and biomass (tree trunks, branches, foliage, and roots).
Geologic Carbon Sequestration
CO2 can be stored in oil reservoirs, gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams, saline formations and shale formations with high organic content.
Ocean Carbon Sequestration

Oceans absorb, release and store large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.
This can be done in two ways- enhancing the productivity of ocean biological systems through Iron fertilisation and injecting CO2 into the deep ocean.
The dumping of iron stimulates phytoplankton production, leading to enhanced photosynthesis from these microorganisms and helping in CO2.

It is the process by which nature has achieved a balance of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere suitable for sustaining life.
For example, animals expel carbon dioxide, as do plants during the night.
Artificial Carbon Sequestration
Artificial carbon sequestration refers to several processes whereby carbon emissions are captured at production (e.g. Factory Chimneys) and then buried.

One proposed method is ocean sequestration, whereby carbon dioxide is injected deep into the ocean, forming lakes of CO2.

Mitigate climate change impacts
By absorbing extra CO2 from the atmosphere, carbon sequestration mitigates the occurrence of climate change events.
Helps to extract fuels
Deep injection of CO2 improves the extraction of fuels like oil and methane from their reserve.
Sustainable way
There has not been any event of CO2 leaking out from the injection site, and it won’t happen for 100-0 years.

Expensive
Implementing carbon sequestration methods in the ocean is expensive.
May lead to acidic
The ocean may become acidic due to a large amount of carbon dioxide being absorbed.
Time-taking process

Planting trees with the intention of storing and absorbing carbon requires enough time for the tree to mature.

Content Source: Down to Earth