carbon sink
Atmospheric CO2 reservoir
A carbon sink is a natural or artificial system that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases, effectively storing carbon.
Forests, oceans, and soil are major natural carbon sinks.
The term appears frequently in climate discussions: We need to protect forests as vital carbon sinks.
The opposite—a system releasing more carbon than it absorbs—is a carbon source.
Replanting depleted woodlands
- afforestationIntroducing woods to treeless land
- old-growthLong-undisturbed forest
- rainforestWet tropical woodland ecosystem
- taigaSubarctic evergreen biome
boreal · canopy · woodland · timber · deciduous · coniferous · Amazonia · Congo Basin
Act of setting apart
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- uptakeAbsorption or understanding
- storageSpace for keeping goods
- captureTake into custody
biomass · organic matter · CO2 · greenhouse gases · decomposition · respiration · flux · exchange
Wetlands with accumulated plant matter
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
- biocharCharred biomass soil amendment
cover crops · grasslands · tundra · bog · mire · fen · composting · soil health
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- kelp forestsDense underwater seaweed ecosystems
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
- coral reefsCalcium carbonate marine structures
deep ocean · coastal wetlands · salt marshes · mangroves · seaweed · diatoms · ocean acidification
Limits plus tradable allowances
- Paris AgreementGlobal warming limitation accord
- Kyoto ProtocolMultinational emissions reduction treaty
- net zeroBalanced emissions state
- IPCCUN climate science authority
climate mitigation · emissions trading · permanence · leakage · baseline · certification
reforestation
Replanting depleted woodlands
- afforestationIntroducing woods to treeless land
- old-growthLong-undisturbed forest
- rainforestWet tropical woodland ecosystem
taiga · boreal · canopy · woodland · timber · deciduous · coniferous · Amazonia · Congo Basin · mangroves
sequestration
Act of setting apart
- photosynthesisLight-to-sugar conversion in plants
- uptakeAbsorption or understanding
- storageSpace for keeping goods
capture · biomass · organic matter · CO2 · greenhouse gases · decomposition · respiration · flux · exchange · drawdown
peatlands
Wetlands with accumulated plant matter
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- humusDecayed organic soil matter
biochar · cover crops · grasslands · tundra · bog · mire · fen · composting · soil health
phytoplankton
Photosynthetic aquatic drifters
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- kelp forestsDense underwater seaweed ecosystems
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
coral reefs · deep ocean · coastal wetlands · salt marshes · mangroves · seaweed · diatoms · ocean acidification
cap and trade
Limits plus tradable allowances
- Paris AgreementGlobal warming limitation accord
- Kyoto ProtocolMultinational emissions reduction treaty
- net zeroBalanced emissions state
IPCC · climate mitigation · emissions trading · permanence · leakage · baseline · certification
- environmentair pollution, ecology, clean air, biosphere, air quality
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
- protected areasnature reserve, wildlife sanctuary, protected area, nature preserve, wildlife refuge
- Carbon CycleCO2, photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, CO2 levels
- ecosystem servicespollination, water purification, climate regulation, air purification, water filtration
- rainforest ecologyrainforest, jungle, canopy, understory, epiphyte
carbon sinkdeforestation
Large-scale woodland elimination
landfill · tailpipe emissions · slash-and-burn agriculture · permafrost thaw · polluter
sink, sinking, sunk, carbon, sinkhole, carbonate, carburetor, carbons, carbon sinks