Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Mitigation

Currently, climate change is seen as a significant issue worldwide. Increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen oxides (NOX), released as a result of population growth, land use changes, economic expansion, fossil fuel and biomass combustion, and soil organic matter breakdown, are the main contributors to the anthropogenic greenhouse gas effect. Therefore, climate change affects both natural and human systems worldwide, and further consequences will arise from continued greenhouse gas emissions. A more precise understanding of future climate change projections can be achieved by closely examining the distribution of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, oceans, and land ecosystems. Current methods for mitigating climate change involve decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering the carbon footprint of energy sources and usage, improving energy efficiency in different sectors, and enhancing natural carbon absorption or using engineering methods for carbon capture and storage. More and more individuals are intrigued by the idea of utilizing the soil’s ability to absorb carbon to combat the increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and the decline in soil organic carbon (SOC). A “4 per 1000” strategy is being implemented to boost worldwide organic carbon stocks by 0.4%, recognizing soils’ contribution to mitigating climate change impacts. Yet, the potential for sequestering soil carbon varies based on farming practices, prior carbon removal, soil characteristics, climate, and land management techniques in forestry and agriculture. Long-term management strategies need to consider the impact on SOC pools of labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions to develop effective strategies for carbon sequestration. Best management practices (BMPs) are considered top-tier techniques in enhancing soil carbon storage. The next group comprises cutting-edge technologies currently encountering significant technical and economic obstacles. Different strategies are necessary for soil carbon sequestration, each needing to be customized based on the region-specific soil qualities and management decisions, while also considering the trade-offs unique to the site. It is crucial to quickly broaden and adopt sustainable methods for storing carbon in soil to combat global climate change.