Kosfeld Fenna Thesis - Flipbook - Page 39
Carbon Revolution - Carbon Change
“Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and
industry totalled 37.15 billion metric tons (GtCO2) in 2022.
Emissions are projected to have risen 1.1 per cent in 2023
to reach a record high of 37.55 GtCO2. Since 1990, global
CO2 emissions have increased by more than 60 per cent.”
(Tiseo)
Through our relentless human activity, particularly the
extraction of fossil fuels that sustains our highly saturated and overconsumed lifestyle, we are releasing ancient
carbon stored in the earth’s crust at an alarming rate. This
is throwing the delicate balance of the carbon cycle into
disarray. The pace of this disruption is rendering all natural
processes, such as respiration and carbon storage, inadequate in the face of our artificial/human-made emissions.
The International Biochar Initiative’s focus is on researching accessibility and the variety of biochar applications,
increasing awareness, and setting quality and sustainability
standards.
Soil is a major carbon reservoir whose role in the carbon
cycle is under extensive study. Research has shown that
temperature, moisture, and microbial activity influence soil
organic matter decomposition rates. These factors determine how much carbon is released back into the atmosphere versus stored in soils (Davidson and Janssens, 2006)
The interconnectedness of carbon with other nutrient cycles and emphasizes the need to manage carbon emissions
responsibly to maintain ecological balance and mitigate
In their book Cool Down, Albert Bates and Kathleen Drap- climate change.
er, pioneers in Biochar and Carbon research, assert that
we are living in the era of carbon-change, not just climate The most common use for biochar is as a soil amendment
change. This is a time when mere attempts at sustainability as it increases aeration captures contaminations, retains
and carbon-neutrality are no longer sufficient. It is a call to water and nutrients, conducts electrostatic flows within
the soil and hosts a pH-balanced environment for fungi,
action for all of us to step up and make a difference.
mycorrhizae, macroinvertebrates and microorganisms in
general.
Kevin Anderson ( executive director of Climate Change
it has been studied well, but broader societal acceptance of
Research) describes the role and acting of politics and
economics as significant barriers to actually implementing this black material needs to be achieved by spreading its
and applying the newest technologies to make a change for potential and impactful functions.
our climate and the planet’s well-being. He proposed that
all industrial countries should reduce their emissions by
60% by 2025 ( which is in 6 months) and, by 2050, reach a
full decarbonisation of our current emissions. The idea is
to ideate and implement solutions that sequester and store
valuable carbon and find alternative applications for stable
carbon to add to our society. The primary focus of Biochar
is putting it back into the largest solid battery of our planet,
the soil. Whereas research sectors are evolving in exploring
ways of using carbon for building and construction, as a
plastic alternative, as paper and cardboard replacement, as
filtration, as food and supplements, etc.
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