Study: forests provide bigger carbon sink than previously thought

Tropical forests are soaking up nearly one-fifth of our planet’s carbon emissions.

According to a new report published in Nature, these forests absorb 4.8 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. The 40-year study of 250,000 tree records shows that undisturbed tropical forests are an even greater carbon sink than scientists thought.

"We are receiving a free subsidy from nature,” said the report’s lead author, Dr. Simon Lewis of England’s University of Leeds. “Tropical forest trees are absorbing about 18% of the CO2 added to the atmosphere each year … substantially buffering the rate of climate change."

But Mother Nature can’t go it alone.

That’s why we need to continue developing the carbon capture and sequestration technologies of the future, while also working to preserve the planet’s own natural CCS system.

At ACCCE we always say we see the need for silver buckshot (lots of things working together to provide a bigger result) as opposed to thinking there is a silver bullet solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Comments

[330treehugger]

Our farm policy on ethanol is indirectly destroying the rain forest that harbors endangered species and sequesters CO2. Coal and oil are our cheapest and best resources for energy to run your computer, light your home and run your car. Cap and Trade will "cause electric rates to skyrocket", Obama's words, and drive manufacturing investment out of the United States. Focusing on long term changes in energy infrastructure will be more successful than suppressing or taxing current energy production.

[al smith]

Start with the New Process that the Native Americans are starting to use CTL Coal To Liquid, The same process the Germans used to fly their ME_262 Twin Jet Fighters. Making coal into FUEL. We are starting to build a Plant on the Crow Reservation in Montana. Thanks to the Aussies who lent us the money after our Gov would not...

[al smith]

When the Coal to Liquid plant is finshed in 2012 we are looking for a 121,000 bpd. This is going to be a big boon to the state of Montana. Please dont preach to us about the need for conservation as we are the stewards of this subject.