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Types of Carbon Sequestration:
- Natural Carbon Sequestration: This process happens through biological activities, such as photosynthesis in forests, where trees and plants absorb CO2 and store it as biomass. Oceans also play a significant role in natural sequestration, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
- Artificial or Technological Carbon Sequestration: This involves human-engineered solutions to capture and store carbon. Techniques include carbon capture and storage (CCS), where CO2 emissions from industrial processes are captured and stored underground, and direct air capture (DAC), a technology that extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere.
Importance of Carbon Sequestration:
- Carbon sequestration acts as a fundamental mechanism in efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and storing it for a number of years.
- Natural methods of carbon sequestration support biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services like clean air and water.
- In artificial sequestration, technological advancements are expanding the potential for significant carbon capture and long-term storage, offering new solutions to help curb climate challenges in the long run.
Challenges in Carbon Sequestration:
- Artificial sequestration methods, such as Enhanced Rock Weathering and Direct Air Capture, face challenges regarding high costs, energy requirements, and scalability.
- There are concerns around the sustainability and environmental impact of certain sequestration methods, particularly those involving large-scale land use or ecosystem alterations.