What is a carbon sink? List out its importance and the steps taken by the Indian Government to augment the same.
What is a carbon sink? List out its importance and the steps taken by the Indian Government to augment the same.
Carbon Sink:
- A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period.
- The process by which carbon sinks remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is known as carbon sequestration.
- The carbon stock in India is roughly 7 billion tonnes, equivalent to 25.66 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.
- 65% of carbon stock is stored in soil, and 35% in trees.
Importance of Carbon Sink:
- To fulfill India’s commitments under Paris Climate Agreement, 2015.
- To reduce the impact of Climate Change on India’s ecosystem.
- To increase India’s forest cover thereby enriching the biodiversity of the nation.
Steps taken:
- The Green India Mission under the National Action Plan on Climate Change aims to plant 10 million hectares by 2030. This will create carbon sinks to the tune of 2.5 billion tons.
- CAMPA funds have been established to streamline the afforestation programmes.
- The National Afforestation Program is being implemented for afforestation of degraded forest lands.
- Nagar Vana Udyan Yojana aims to create a minimum of 25 hectares of forests in each city.
- A National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change has been established to assist State and Union Territories to meet the cost of adaptation.
- Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India has been prepared which will provide the basis for future land use in the country.
Conclusion:
- The Ministry of Environment is considering a proposal to double the number of protected areas in the country. Also various carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects are anvil in India. These steps will go a long way in creating the carbon sink in India.
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