Carbon negative
Encyclopedia
Carbon negative is an adjectival phrase used to describe any process that removes carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere, with the intent to avoid
global warming
.
such as a concentrated group of plants or algae or any other primary producer that binds carbon dioxide
into biomass - as with forests and kelp beds - is not carbon negative but carbon neutral
. A carbon dioxide sink of this type moves carbon
, in the form of carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere or hydrosphere to the biosphere. That carbon will return to the atmosphere or hydrosphere in the form of carbon dioxide as a part of the carbon cycle
.
Carbon dioxide sinks that store carbon dioxide in the Earth's crust by injecting it into the subsurface, or in the form of insoluble carbonate
salts (mineral sequestration), are considered carbon negative. This is because they are removing carbon from the atmosphere and sequestering it indefinitely and presumably for a considerable duration (thousands to millions of years).
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
from the atmosphere, with the intent to avoid
Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change
The related terms "avoiding dangerous climate change" and "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" date to 1995 and earlier, in the Second Assesment Report of the International Panel on Climate Change and previous science it cites.In 2002, the United Nations...
global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
.
Carbon dioxide sinks and carbon negativity
A carbon dioxide sinkCarbon dioxide 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 from the atmosphere is known as carbon sequestration...
such as a concentrated group of plants or algae or any other primary producer that binds carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
into biomass - as with forests and kelp beds - is not carbon negative but carbon neutral
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference...
. A carbon dioxide sink of this type moves carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
, in the form of carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere or hydrosphere to the biosphere. That carbon will return to the atmosphere or hydrosphere in the form of carbon dioxide as a part of the carbon cycle
Carbon cycle
The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth...
.
Carbon dioxide sinks that store carbon dioxide in the Earth's crust by injecting it into the subsurface, or in the form of insoluble carbonate
Carbonate
In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....
salts (mineral sequestration), are considered carbon negative. This is because they are removing carbon from the atmosphere and sequestering it indefinitely and presumably for a considerable duration (thousands to millions of years).
See also
- BiocharBiocharBiochar or terra preta is charcoal created by pyrolysis of biomass. Biochar is under investigation as an approach to carbon sequestration via bio-energy with carbon capture and storage. Biochar thus has the potential to help mitigate climate change, via carbon sequestration...
- Bio-energy with carbon capture and storageBio-energy with carbon capture and storageBio-energy with carbon capture and storage is a greenhouse gas mitigation technology which produces negative carbon emissions by combining biomass use with geologic carbon capture and storage....
- BiorecroBiorecroBiorecro is a Swedish cleantech company deploying the BECCS technology through sales of negative emission carbon credits and carbon offsets. Founded in 2007, it is based in Stockholm, Sweden...
- Carbon dioxide air captureCarbon dioxide air captureCarbon dioxide removal methods refers to a number of technologies which reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Among such technologies are bio-energy with carbon capture and storage, biochar, direct air capture, ocean fertilization and enhanced weathering.CDR is a different...
- Carbon dioxide removal
- Negative carbon dioxide emissionNegative carbon dioxide emissionA negative carbon dioxide emission or negative emission is a permanent removal of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is considered the direct opposite of carbon dioxide emission, hence its name...
External links
- Bellona CCS Web - Carbon negative
- Biorecro on carbon negativity through BECCS (Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage)