Carbon Sequestration

Long-term CO2
concentrations

Carbon Sequestration

(can we store enough CO2 to make a

difference?)

What can we do?

limit population growth
less energy use

limit CO2 emissions

limit fossil fuel use

stop land use change

mostly in tropics

sequester more CO2 from atmosphere

variety of methods

Power plants of the future?

Sequestering Carbon
take CO2 out of atmosphere (or dont
release it) and store it away for a
long time
forests, soils, agricultural fields
deserts, landfills, furniture
old growth forests versus young
dont let wood decompose

Conservation tillage
dont till soil
organic matter (C)
accumulates
could pay farmers
for this
can never till in
future

Less meat production

reduce amount of
land needed for
crops
more land in
permanent pasture,
grasslands, or
forests
less energy needed

Increase forested land

where to get land?
take from
agricultural crops?
what to do when
forest matures?

Convert mature forests to young

cut down remaining
old-growth forests
replace with fast
growing trees
put wood in landfill
or deserts

Take C out of stack gases

store deep in
earth, bottom of
ocean, or in desert
is it permanent?
costs?

Dont recycle anything with C

put all paper and
wood we now use
into landfills or
deserts
increase demand
for cutting forests
more regrowth of
young trees

No easy choice
what would you do?
how much would you pay?
effects on other ecosystems?
forests, water

what are you willing to give up?

if you were in charge, what would you do
now?
do you think we know enough to act now?