Climate Change Mitigation Measures

What is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of Earth’s average weather patterns and temperatures. The challenge of climate change stands as one of the serious issues confronting humanity. On a global scale, climate change significantly affects both soil and water resources, making it a complex developmental concern (El-Rawy et al., 2023).

Role of Human Activities on Climate Change

Human activities such as intensive agriculture, and the industrial revolution, have caused the release and escalation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere, making them central to the cause of climate change. An annual increase of 416 ppm in CO₂ concentration has been documented. Notably, industrial use of fossil fuels is the main contributor to this CO₂ emission.

Effect GHGs on Climate Change

These GHGs capture solar radiation and in turn, drive a rise in global temperatures, showing a visible change in climate patterns (Mondal, Sudeshna, 2021). This escalation in global temperatures causes extreme weather events like floods, glacier melting, and heat waves. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report suggests that the global average temperature might increase by 1.8 to 4.0°C due to unchecked greenhouse gas emissions.

Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystem

This slight increase in temperature can have significant effects on glaciers, leading to their melting and causing flooded conditions or increased evaporation levels which eventually become the reason for drought. Of these, carbon (C) stands as the primary greenhouse gas, contributing significantly to this temperature risen. Therefore, the consequences of unchecked C emissions are undeniable. So, there is an urgent need to take action in order to mitigate climate change.

Climate Change Mitigation Measures

Carbon Sequestration

Carbon (C) sequestration is a process that captures and stores carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere (Kowalska et al., 202). It has emerged as a promising avenue for addressing climate change.

Natural mechanisms such as plant growth and ocean absorption can participate in C sequestration as plant capture the CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it in the soil in the form of organic matter, which not only decreases the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere but also enhance the soil fertility and crops yield. Similarly, oceans can also capture and store CO_2.

The CO₂ in the atmosphere dissolves in the surface waters of the ocean. The concentration of CO₂ in the surface waters is lower than in the atmosphere, which creates a gradient that drives the diffusion of CO₂ into the ocean making it a great C sink. Both plants and ocean put a significant role in C sequestration but they are insufficient to counterbalance the swift CO₂ emissions resulting from human activities. Consequently, there is growing interest in exploring and implementing diverse artificial methods for capturing and storing C.

Carbon Sequestration’s Role in Climate Change Mitigation

Industries and power plants are the main contributors to the CO₂ emission. Therefore, by capturing CO₂ from industries and power plants. C sequestration techniques can play a significant role in mitigating climate change. C sequestration assumes a pivotal role within climate change mitigation strategies for several reasons. The following techniques highlight how C sequestration can be affected:

Enhancing Natural Sinks

The preservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, and other natural ecosystems bolster their capacity to sequester C. Forests act as major C sinks as they play a vital role in absorbing CO2 through the process of photosynthesis. Trees capture C from the atmosphere and store it in their trunks, branches, and roots. Old-growth forests are mostly active at sequestering C, as they have been storing carbon for decades or even centuries.

By taking initiatives such as afforestation and reforestation, the level of CO₂ in the atmosphere not only decreases but also enhances biodiversity, improves soil health, and provides habitat for various species which ultimately supports our ecosystem. On the other hand, wetlands including marshes, swamps, and peatlands act as natural C sinks. They store C in the form of organic matter in waterlogged soils, which prevents its release into the atmosphere. Protecting and restoring wetlands is also essential to maintaining their C sequestration capacity.

By preserving and restoring these natural environments, we not only counteract the release of C but also create a perfect place for biodiversity. Healthy ecosystems not only support a range of species but also provide essential ecosystem services which contribute to overall environmental resilience.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

CCS technologies capture CO₂ emissions from sources like power plants and industrial facilities before they are released into the atmosphere. The captured CO₂ is then transported and securely stored underground within geological formations (Energy Fuels, 2023).

This technique plays a key role in decreasing the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere. CCS not only reduces CO₂ emissions but can also help manage other pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from industrial processes which put a positive effect on the environment.

Direct Air Capture (DAC)

DAC technologies, as the name implies this technique directly capture CO₂ from the ambient air. The captured CO₂ is then isolated and can be stored underground or utilized in various ways. This approach holds particular value for addressing emissions that are challenging to prevent at their source just like those that originate from transportation (IEA, 2022). However, this technique required a significant amount of energy to operate. Due to the energy-intensive nature of the process, DAC can be expensive to implement and operate.

Carbon Mineralization

This innovative technique involves converting CO₂ into stable mineral forms through chemical reactions with rocks and minerals. This process not only permanently eliminates CO₂ from the atmosphere but also generates valuable nutrients.

During the carbon mineralization process, CO₂ reacts with minerals in the presence of water to form carbonates. This reaction can accelerate the weathering of minerals present in the rocks. Mineral weathering releases various elements and compounds from the rocks into the soil solution. These elements include essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as trace elements that are important for plant growth. C mineralization also enhances microbial activity by providing a source of C and nutrients.

Microbes help the breakdown of organic matter and the release of nutrients from minerals which makes the soil more fertile. In order to create a sustainable ecosystem, C mineralization technology might be quite important.

Conclusion

Sequestration of carbon (C) has great potential and may be a vital weapon in the fight against Climate Change Mitigation Measures. It is without a doubt capable of significantly reducing the consequences of increasing CO2 levels.

As advancements in technology continue to unfold and public awareness deepens, the role of C sequestration assumes ever-increasing importance in shaping our understanding of global climate objectives while protecting the prospects of our planet’s future.

From ecosystem rehabilitation to the deployment of advanced C-capture technologies, the journey toward a more sustainable future requires collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to extracting hope from the air. Ecosystem restoration, such as afforestation and reforestation, emerges as a foundational pillar of C sequestration, actively replenishing nature’s capacity to absorb CO₂ and fostering biodiversity.

Simultaneously, the start of advanced C-capture methodologies leads to a new era of technological expertise, where we attempt to bind and network the C emissions from their sources and limit their release into the atmosphere. In summation, C sequestration adopts a role of profound significance in climate action and becomes our weapon in mitigating climate change.

Author detail:

Muhammad Itazaz Hassan¹

¹Deparment of Soil and Environmental Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

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