Carbon sinks are weakening

Scientists at the International Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen last week said the balance effect of land and sea carbon sinks is gradually weakening.

Dr Mike Raupach, a CSIRO scientist and head of the global carbon project, said: 'Forests, grasslands and seas are absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere faster than ever, but sinks are This carbon will not be able to keep up with today's rapid emissions. '

'Since these natural CO2 sinks are important tools to fight climate change, we can't help but pay attention to them.'

Dr. Raupach and Swiss scientist, Dr. Nicolas Gruber, co-host one of the 43 meetings at the conference - Climate change, carbon sink vulnerability.

Dr. Raupach said the concern about the carbon sink's vulnerability stemmed from the discovery of several mechanisms that could cause the balance of sea and land to weaken or even reverse.

'Such changes can have enormous consequences for the complexity or speed of climate change, and scientists will meet in Copenhagen to review and raise questions with the latest research, thereby giving advice to policy planners'.

Findings of heat and CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and the sea are discussed in Copenhagen. (Photo: CSIRO)

Discussion will focus on:

• Changes in soil carbon sinks through movement of atmospheric components, changes in temperature and precipitation, deforestation, fire frequency and insect attack.All of these factors can slow or reverse the effects of these tanks.

• Release of carbon is now in frozen soil, in the form of CO2 and methane (a greenhouse gas that has a greater impact than CO2).

• Moving agricultural production on a large scale, capable of accelerating the clearing and deforestation. This cycle currently accounts for 15-20% of liberated carbon.

Findings on the exchange of heat and CO2 between the atmosphere and the sea suggest that climate change will not be reversible in less than 1,000 years.

Scientists present at the conference in the categories of: sea ice, rising sea levels, circulation of sea, carbon sequestration, carbon storage and storage, changing the way we live and adapt to agricultural production. .