carbon sinks, definition of

Carbon reservoirs and conditions that take in and store more carbon (carbon sequestration) than they release. Carbon sinks can serve to partially offset greenhouse gas emissions. Forests and oceans are common carbon sinks.

• Oops, Science Was “Settled”—Until It Wasn’t: Plants Absorb 31% More CO₂ Than We Thought
  Climate models are supposed to be sophisticated tools that simulate future warming scenarios, guiding policies that dictate everything from energy production to consumer behavior...
• Climate Etc.Implications of the Linear Carbon Sink ModelClimate Etc.
  ...both models can explain the emission and concentration data of the past very well, makes it necessary to check the deviations in the future.
• Scientists discover enough new forests to cover 60% of Australia
  A new survey of the world's dryland habitats has found a massive amount of previously unreported forests -- 467 million hectares (over 1.1 billion acres), which is 45 percent more forest than found in past surveys. The newly discovered dryland forests...
• Scientists say we have 10 years to save Earth
  Time is running out to protect Earth from the disastrous effects of climate change. An international team of eight researchers said we have just 10 years to save the planet. But their news isn't all bad: they've come up with a model for balancing carbon...
• Indian state attempts to plant record 50 million trees in 24 hours
  The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is attempting to break the world record for the highest number of trees planted in a 24-hour period. As part of a concerted effort to combat climate change, officials in the country's most populous state are hoping...
• NASA Launches First Mission to Track Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
  NASA just successfully launched a new satellite that will track atmospheric carbon dioxide - the greenhouse gas that most climate scientists agree is the main driver of global warming...
• Lessons from the Chesapeake Bay: How to Save Buzzards Bay from Nitrogen Pollution
    The Chesapeake Bay was formed eighteen thousand years ago when glacial melting generated sea level rise that flooded the Susquehanna River Valley. Today, it is the largest estuary in the USA, covering about 4,500 square miles and spanning across
• Infographic: Where Are All Our Carbon Emissions Being Stored?
  Last week the world reached a grim milestone: Levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide passed 400 parts per million for the first time in human history. It's widely understood that this is the result of human carbon dioxide emissions. But did you know that...
• Underwater Volcanoes Help Suck Carbon from the Air
  Scientists recently determined the planet has an unlikely ally in the battle against climate change–undersea volcanoes. A group of Australian and French scientists found that a vast network of underwater volcanoes in the Southern Ocean pump out...

Related Tags: climate change, global warming, environment