Carbon Sequestration

Unlocking soil's carbon secrets: Microbes and minerals team up for lasting carbon storage

A study from Huazhong Agricultural University sheds light on the intricate processes of microbial activity and geological structures beneath our feet. The team's work illustrates how bacterial EPS contributes to SOM persistence, a process crucial for maintaining soil health and securing long-term carbon storage.

A greener fertilizer: Biogas slurry boosts soil health and carbon storage

Researchers found that biogas slurry enhances soil fertility and increases active carbon levels by up to 13.4% compared to conventional chemical fertilizer topdressing. The treatment also promotes cooperative microbial interactions, supporting nutrient cycling and climate change mitigation.

How ice-age sea-level falls may have turned seafloor volcanoes into ocean fertilizer

Researchers found that phytoplankton in the eastern equatorial Pacific were fertilized by iron from the seafloor during ice-age transitions. This suggests a possible feedback loop connecting sea level, seafloor volcanism, and ocean biology, with potential implications for climate change.

Global mangrove forests rebound, offering hopeful sign for climate and coastal resilience

Mangrove forests worldwide are no longer in net decline and are now growing overall, driven by natural regeneration and expansion. The research highlights a more hopeful trajectory for these ecosystems, which play a critical role in protecting coastlines and storing climate-warming carbon.

Water use, not temperature adaptation, sustains plant carbon uptake

A new international study challenges long-held beliefs about how ecosystems absorb carbon under global warming. Plants are using water more efficiently while developing larger canopies to absorb light and fix carbon, making this the dominant factor in determining carbon dioxide uptake.

Carbon dioxide removal will need to scale faster than solar to meet climate targets

The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal report reveals that current pledges fall short of pathways limiting warming to 1.5°C by more than 5 billion tonnes of CO2 per year by 2050. CDR must grow at rates comparable to or faster than the most rapid clean energy transitions, including solar power.

Tropical primary forest plants up-regulate root exudation to adapt to long-term high nitrogen deposition

A research team found that tropical forest plants increase root carbon exudation to stimulate phosphatase activity, mineralize organic P, and release organic acids to dissolve mineral-bound P. This adaptation helps alleviate P limitation under long-term N enrichment, sustaining productivity.

The hidden carbon sponges: Karst reservoirs proven to be powerful climate allies

Researchers have found that karst reservoirs are exceptionally effective at capturing and storing atmospheric carbon due to a unique combination of geology and biology. The study reveals that these ecosystems produce a large amount of organic carbon, which is then efficiently converted and locked away in a highly stable form.

Tropical primary forest plants up-regulate root exudation to adapt to long-term high nitrogen deposition

A research team found that tropical forest plants increase root carbon exudation to stimulate phosphatase activity and release organic acids to dissolve mineral-bound P. The organic acid pathway drove twice as much P release as the phosphatase pathway.

Digging deeper: The hidden carbon bank beneath our farmlands

A comprehensive review reveals that deep soil contains a colossal amount of carbon, estimated at over 850 petagrams worldwide, and is significantly more stable than surface layers due to strong interaction with clay minerals. The review outlines several agricultural strategies to protect and enhance deep soil carbon stocks.

Carbon markets underestimate the risks U.S. forests face from climate change

A study finds that US forests are at risk of releasing stored carbon due to droughts, pests, and fires exacerbated by climate change. The researchers recommend increasing buffer pools in carbon-credit systems to account for these risks.

The impact of microplastics on ocean carbon uptake

Researchers found that microplastics can reduce carbon uptake by 25,000 and 48,000 tonnes in arid and tropical regions. The study incorporated the effect of microplastics on carbon uptake into a life cycle assessment of plastics.

A financing model for permanent carbon removal

How rock removes CO2 from the atmosphere

Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated a remarkable mineralogical mechanism where certain minerals convert CO2 into solid carbonate quickly, mediated by water. This process enables rapid CO2 capture and storage in rocks, potentially solving the issue of atmospheric CO2 removal.

Dying aquatic plants present a double-edged sword for lakes: fueling pollution while locking away carbon

A new study reveals that declining floating-leaf plants release harmful nutrients, but also trigger a microbial process that converts simple organic matter into resilient, long-term carbon storage. This process enhances the lake's ability to sequester carbon through a microbial carbon pump.

Understanding how “marine snow” acts as a carbon sink

A new study finds hitchhiking bacteria dissolve essential ballast in ubiquitous

Online forum to explore how organic carbon amendments can improve soil health while storing carbon

The 22nd Carbon Research International Forum will examine the benefits of organic carbon amendments for improving soil health and sequestrating carbon in agricultural systems. Researchers will discuss recent approaches to managing organic carbon inputs in soils to support both productivity and climate outcomes.

Chinese scientists develop new model to accurately assess global salt marsh carbon sinks

A new process-based model, SAL-GPP, has been developed to accurately assess the carbon sequestration capacity of global salt marshes. The model reveals that global salt marshes have an average annual gross primary production of 66.89 Tg C yr⁻¹, with hotspots in regions like China's southeastern coast and Western Europe.

New Insights into natural carbonation of ultramafic rocks in the Sultanate of Oman

The study found that carbonation occurred during shallow crustal extension, challenging earlier interpretations of deep subduction environments. Naturally carbonated ultramafic rocks provide a valuable natural analogue for long-term carbon storage in solid minerals.

Permafrost is key to carbon storage. That makes northern wildfires even more dangerous

A recent study co-authored by NAU researchers found that fires in northern Canada have a net cooling effect when coupled with snowpack, but this is outweighed by the warming effects of permafrost carbon released from fires in Alaska. This highlights the need for land and fire managers to reconsider how wildland fires are managed.

Source or sink? Trees with heart rot disease emit more methane, upending forest carbon models

Researchers found that trees with heart rot disease release more methane than healthy trees, regardless of disease severity. Methane emissions peak in the trunk's center, a finding that challenges previous assumptions about tree health and greenhouse gas cycling.

Seaweed farms: dynamic blue carbon systems

Researchers discover that seaweed farms drive a climate-friendly feedback by producing alkalinity, which shifts the chemistry of the water and removes CO2. The process is more permanent than previously thought, making seaweed farms an ideal system for carbon sequestration.

Biochar emerges as a powerful tool for soil carbon neutrality and climate mitigation

A comprehensive review reveals that biochar improves soil carbon storage, reduces greenhouse gases, and provides practical frameworks to measure its climate benefits. Biochar's dual carbon sequestration effect stores carbon directly while protecting existing soil organic carbon from decomposition.

Keeping an eagle eye on carbon stored in the ocean

Researchers at Norway's NTNU are using advanced geophysical methods to improve the accuracy of carbon capture and storage site monitoring. A new laboratory equipped with a mock-up of an undersea storage site allows for real-time testing and validation of monitoring techniques. This breakthrough could reduce costs and improve the effici...

Scientists report increased rather than decreased soil carbon accumulation in boreal sphagnum peatlands under warming

Climate warming stimulates sphagnum growth, promotes iron protection, and inhibits microbial decomposition in boreal peatlands. This leads to increased soil carbon accumulation, potentially offsetting half of the decline in boreal forest carbon sink under future warming.

Unexpected climate feedback links Antarctic ice sheet with reduced carbon uptake

A new study reveals a surprising link between West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat and algae growth over the past 500,000 years. Iron-rich sediments from icebergs stimulate algae growth, but in a less bioavailable form than previously assumed.

Shrubs curb carbon emissions in China’s largest desert

A 40-year greening project in China's Taklamakan Desert has successfully reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and increased solar-induced fluorescence, indicating a measurable carbon sink. The project demonstrates the potential of afforestation to mitigate climate change, despite being only a small dent in global emissions.

You’re invited to ICBRA-BWC 2026 – The global biochar gathering

The conference will feature sessions on biochar innovation and real-world impact in materials science, environmental policy, and sustainable agriculture. The journal Biochar and Carbon Research are also being promoted.

Increased deciduous tree dominance reduces wildfire carbon losses in boreal forests

Research found that deciduous tree dominance reduces wildfire carbon losses in boreal forests, storing more carbon above ground and releasing less in deep organic soils. This shift could help slow climate warming by reducing carbon emissions per unit area burned.

Recovering tropical forests grow back nearly twice as fast with nitrogen

A new study reveals that tropical forests can regrow up to 95% faster when given sufficient nitrogen, allowing them to absorb more carbon dioxide. This finding suggests that targeting nitrogen pollution from farms and factories may be crucial in helping young forests recover and act as natural climate solutions.

A stormy ocean voyage yields insights on the global carbon cycle

A team of scientists, led by UC Santa Barbara's David Siegel, embarked on a research expedition to the North Atlantic to study the ocean's carbon cycle. They found that tiny organic particles, known as marine snow, transport carbon from the surface to depths, and this process is critical for understanding Earth's climate.

Study showcases resilience and rapid growth of “living rocks”

A new study reveals that microbialites in South Africa are thriving, growing up to 2 inches vertically every year. They absorb carbon day and night through metabolic processes, making them one of the most efficient biological mechanisms for long-term carbon storage observed in nature.

Iron minerals’ hidden chemistry explains how soils trap carbon

Researchers have discovered that iron oxide minerals like ferrihydrite employ different chemical strategies to grab and hold onto various types of organic molecules, making them powerful carbon traps. This study provides new insight into how these minerals in soils trap carbon for decades or centuries.

China's urban forests: Growing carbon pool

China's urban forests have grown significantly since 2010, increasing by 16.07 × 10^4 km² and storing up to 522.7 Tg C by 2060. The carbon sequestration rate peaked in 2015-2020, with a range of 1.92-22.8 Tg C/year.

Researchers find promising adaptations to climate change in tropical forests

Researchers at Colorado State University found that some tropical forest plants are adapting to drought by growing longer root systems, potentially helping reduce vulnerability. The study's findings suggest flexibility under drying conditions may rescue the forest, but long-term implications remain uncertain.

Tropical Australian study sets new standard for Indigenous-led research

A new study highlights the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems while building long-term environmental and cultural knowledge. The research, co-designed by Indigenous leadership and RMIT University scientists, found that a mangrove forest on the Barron River estuary stores over 2,000 tonnes of carbon annually.

Can we tap the ocean’s power to capture carbon?

Marine carbon dioxide removal technologies have the potential to play a role in mitigating global warming, but verifying their effectiveness and ensuring they don't harm the ocean is crucial. The European Marine Board report highlights the need for measures to ensure these technologies are used responsibly.

Aboveground rather than belowground productivity drives variability in miscanthus × giganteus net primary productivity

Researchers measured miscanthus × giganteus net primary productivity in both aboveground and belowground structures. They found that aboveground productivity varied among sites, fertilization rates, and calculation assumptions, with yields ranging from 15.4 to 36.4 Mg DM ha–1 year–1.

New biochar-enhanced cement could lock away more carbon dioxide

Researchers have developed a new biochar-enhanced cement that can capture and store more carbon dioxide while strengthening the material. The sedimented particles in alkali-modified biochar had a greater ability to trap CO2, improving both mechanical strength and carbon sequestration.

Locking carbon in trees and soils could help ‘stabilize climate for centuries’ – but only if combined with underground storage

A new study offers a risk management approach to assess carbon removal portfolios and their potential to limit global warming over centuries. The framework suggests combining nature-based carbon storage like forestry with technology-based solutions like Direct Air Capture can provide long-term temperature stabilization.

Africa, climate, and food: How to feed a continent without increasing its carbon footprint

A study proposes concrete solutions to increase Africa's food production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Analyzing Africa and China, the research highlights water management in rice paddies, modernizing logistics chains, and improving livestock feeding to curb emissions.

Study reveals roadmap for carbon-free California by 2045

A Stanford University study reveals a roadmap for California to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, requiring significant advancements in renewable energy generation, energy storage, and low-carbon transportation. The model forecasts the need for 170 gigawatts of new generation and 54 gigawatts of storage by 2045.

eDNA can help detect kelp-derived carbon on ocean floor

Researchers have developed new eDNA tools to quantify kelp-derived biomass in sediments below commercial kelp farms. The study confirms that kelp aquaculture has little impact on the seafloor community and provides evidence for using eDNA to examine 'blue carbon' accounting efforts.

New paper links atmosphere and ocean in weathering, carbon dioxide removal

A new study found that land and ocean weathering processes are linked, influencing the amount of carbon stored or released into the atmosphere. The research proposes a continuum approach to studying weathering reactions on both land and in the ocean.

Scientists transform plastic waste into efficient CO2 capture materials

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method to convert plastic waste into a climate solution for efficient and sustainable CO2 capture. The new material, BAETA, can absorb CO2 out of the atmosphere efficiently compared to existing carbon capture technologies.

New study shows proactive forest management reduces high severity wildfire by 88% and stabilizes carbon during extreme droughts

A new study found that proactive forest management can significantly reduce the risk of high-severity wildfires by 88% and stabilize carbon stocks. The research analyzed over 200 fuel reduction projects in California's Central Sierra and found that treated forests stored carbon more durably, even after extreme droughts.

Safe, practical underground carbon storage could reduce warming by only 0.7°C – almost 10 times less than previously thought

A new study estimates that safe underground carbon storage can reduce warming by 0.7°C, significantly lower than previous estimates of 6°C. The study highlights the need for responsible management of this limited resource to achieve long-term climate goals.

New DNA test reveals plants’ hidden climate role

Researchers at Aarhus University have developed a method to measure plant roots using DNA technology, revealing their essential role in food production and climate. The new method enables accurate measurement of biomass and species distribution, opening up applications in climate research, plant breeding, and biodiversity analysis.

For nature-based climate solutions to work, they must be restructured

New research highlights four components where nature-based climate actions have fallen short, including inadequate accounting for albedo and carbon leakage. The study proposes reforms to improve the performance and scalability of these strategies.

NASA's PACE enables new method for monitoring global plant health

A new study using NASA's PACE satellite data established a novel method to determine global plant productivity. The technique relies on the light plants reflect, allowing for accurate capture of short-term changes. This approach has significant implications for understanding carbon sequestration, climate change, and ecosystem monitoring.

World’s largest tropical peatlands revealed to be more than 40,000 years old

A new study has revealed that the world's largest tropical peatlands in the Congo Basin are approximately 42,000 years old, significantly older than previously thought. The peatlands store a substantial amount of carbon, equivalent to three years of global fossil fuel emissions.

Researchers reveal role of wetlands in terrestrial carbon sink change

Researchers have used a dynamic global wetland water level dataset to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of wetland carbon sequestration. They found that tropical wetlands contribute 70% to global C sequestration, with South America, Asia, and Africa being the top three continents.

Nitrogen may limit natural climate solutions

A global inventory reveals that natural areas have access to about a quarter less nitrogen than previously estimated, which could limit the removal of carbon from the atmosphere. This finding has implications for natural climate solutions, as nitrogen is essential to plant growth.

Satellite images reveal positive effects of restoration in the northern hemisphere peatlands

Restoration efforts have shown promising results, with satellite data indicating that restored peatlands' temperature and albedo improve over time. However, the return of vegetation is slower, emphasizing the need for additional measures.

Agricultural liming in the US is a large CO2 sink, say researchers

New research claims adding lime to agricultural soils can remove CO2 from the atmosphere, rather than cause emissions. The study, based on over 100 years of data, shows that the addition of acidity is the main driver for CO2 emissions from soils.

Teams develop CO₂ capture-conversion tandem system adaptable to a wide range of CO₂ concentrations

Teams developed a CO2 capture and conversion system that can handle a wide range of CO2 concentrations, even in the presence of oxygen. The system uses a zeolite adsorbent to rapidly adsorb CO2 and a separate catalytic reactor to convert it into a usable resource.

A Journal of Environmental Sciences study investigates trees best suited for cities

Researchers used a data-driven approach to filter out ideal tree species for urban forests, mapping carbon stock and biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emissions of six dominant urban tree species in Beijing. The study identified two optimal species: Betula platyphylla for high-altitude areas and Robinia pseudoacacia for urban...

Thunderstorms are a major driver of tree death in tropical forests

A new study reveals that thunderstorms are a major cause of tree death in tropical forests, explaining patterns of mortality and carbon storage. The research highlights the growing threat of storms to trees and the planet's carbon stores.

Tiny ocean migrants play a massive role in Southern Ocean carbon storage

A groundbreaking study reveals that small zooplankton like copepods and krill enhance carbon sequestration through seasonal migrations. These tiny creatures store around 65 million tonnes of carbon annually in the deep ocean.

Low-cost carbon capture? Bury wood debris in managed forests

Researchers estimate that burying wood debris from managed forests can capture between 770 and 937 gigatons of carbon dioxide, resulting in a reduction of global temperatures by up to 0.42 degrees Celsius. This method is considered low-tech, sustainable, and relatively simple.