Carbon Sequestration — Revision Notes
⚡ 30-Second Revision
Key Facts & Vyyuha Quick Recall:
- Definition: — Capturing & storing atmospheric CO2.
- Types: — Biological (Nature-based), Geological, Technological.
- India's NDC Target: — Add. carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2e by 2030 (forest/tree cover).
- FSI 2021: — Total forest & tree cover 80.9 million ha; Carbon stock 7,204 million tonnes.
- Blue Carbon: — Mangroves, salt marshes, seagrass (high efficiency).
- Green Carbon: — Forests, soils.
- Key Schemes: — GIM, MISHTI, NMSA.
- Key Acts: — Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980/2023; Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022.
- Vyyuha Quick Recall (FOREST):
* F - Forests & Afforestation * O - Ocean & Blue Carbon * R - Reforestation & Restoration * E - Enhanced Soil Carbon * S - Sustainable Agriculture * T - Technological Solutions (CCS/DAC)
2-Minute Revision
Carbon sequestration is vital for climate change mitigation, involving capturing and storing CO2. It's broadly categorized into:
- Biological Sequestration: — Leverages natural processes. Key methods include afforestation (planting on non-forested land), reforestation (replanting on deforested land), and agroforestry. India's NDC targets an additional 2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2e sink by 2030 through forest and tree cover. Blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass) are highly efficient, with schemes like MISHTI promoting their restoration. Soil organic carbon enhancement through sustainable agriculture (no-till, cover cropping) is another crucial biological method.
- Geological Sequestration: — Involves injecting captured CO2 deep underground into porous rock formations like depleted oil/gas reservoirs.
- Technological Sequestration (CCUS/CCS): — Captures CO2 from industrial sources or directly from the air (DAC) for storage or utilization. Pilot projects in India (e.g., Tata Steel) are exploring this.
India's policy framework includes the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) with missions like Green India Mission (GIM) and National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). The Forest (Conservation) Act and the new Green Credit Program also play significant roles. Challenges include permanence, high costs, scalability, and social acceptance.
5-Minute Revision
Carbon sequestration is a critical climate change mitigation strategy, focusing on long-term CO2 storage. India's commitment, articulated in its NDCs, targets an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through increased forest and tree cover by 2030. This largely relies on nature-based solutions (NBS), or biological sequestration.
Policy Frameworks & Initiatives:
- National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC): — Missions like Green India Mission (GIM) aim to increase forest/tree cover (FSI 2021: 80.9 million ha, carbon stock 7,204 million tonnes). National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) promotes soil organic carbon enhancement through practices like no-till farming and agroforestry.
- Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 (and 2023 Amendment): — Protects existing forests and promotes compensatory afforestation.
- Blue Carbon: — The 'Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes' (MISHTI) scheme (Union Budget 2023-24) highlights India's focus on highly efficient blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrass).
- Green Credit Program (GCP) (Oct 2023): — A market-based mechanism to incentivize afforestation and other environmental actions.
Technological Sequestration: Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC) are emerging. Pilot projects (e.g., Tata Steel's CCS plant) are underway. The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022, provides a framework for a domestic carbon market, potentially incentivizing CCUS.
Challenges: Key hurdles include ensuring the permanence of stored carbon (vulnerability of NBS to fires, leakage from geological sites), high costs for technological solutions ($30-100+/tCO2 for CCS), achieving scalability across vast areas, addressing social equity concerns related to land use, and developing robust Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems.
Current Affairs Hooks (2023-2024): COP28 outcomes (Dec 2023) recognized CCUS alongside fossil fuel transition. India's updated NDCs (2022) reinforce the sink target. The GCP and MISHTI scheme are recent policy innovations. These developments underscore the dynamic nature and increasing importance of carbon sequestration in India's climate strategy.
Prelims Revision Notes
Carbon sequestration is the process of removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it. It's crucial for climate change mitigation. Types: Biological (nature-based) and Artificial (technological/geological).
Biological: Forests (Green Carbon) absorb CO2 via photosynthesis; India's FSI 2021 reports 80.9 million ha forest/tree cover and 7,204 million tonnes carbon stock. Schemes: Green India Mission (GIM) for afforestation/reforestation.
Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) enhancement via no-till, cover cropping, agroforestry (National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture - NMSA). Blue Carbon (mangroves, seagrass, salt marshes) are highly efficient coastal sinks; MISHTI scheme (Union Budget 2023-24) for mangrove restoration.
Artificial: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) captures CO2 from industrial sources; Direct Air Capture (DAC) captures from ambient air. Pilot projects in India (e.g., Tata Steel). India's NDC: 2.
5-3 billion tonnes CO2e additional sink by 2030 through forest/tree cover. Policy: Forest (Conservation) Act (1980, amended 2023), Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act 2022 (for carbon market), Green Credit Program (GCP) 2023.
Challenges: Permanence, cost, scalability, MRV, social equity. Remember the Vyyuha Quick Recall 'FOREST' mnemonic.
Mains Revision Notes
Carbon sequestration is indispensable for India's climate strategy, balancing developmental needs with environmental commitments. India's Strategy: A dual approach combining robust nature-based solutions with strategic exploration of technological interventions.
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS): Form the core of India's NDC (2.5-3 billion tonnes CO2e sink by 2030). This involves scaling up afforestation/reforestation (GIM), promoting sustainable agriculture for Soil Organic Carbon (NMSA), and investing in blue carbon ecosystems (MISHTI).
NBS offer significant co-benefits (biodiversity, livelihoods, coastal protection). Technological Solutions: CCS/CCUS and DAC are critical for hard-to-abate sectors and achieving net-zero. India is in early stages of deployment (pilot projects) and policy development (carbon market framework under Energy Conservation Act 2022).
Challenges: Address permanence (risk of reversal for NBS, leakage for CCS), high capital and operational costs, land availability for large-scale NBS, social equity concerns, and the need for robust Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems.
Policy Integration: Linkage with NAPCC, Forest (Conservation) Act, CRZ Notification, and international agreements (Paris Agreement, COP outcomes). Vyyuha Analysis: Sequestration is a key climate diplomacy tool for India, showcasing proactive mitigation efforts and leveraging market mechanisms (GCP).
Answers should critically analyze the effectiveness of policies, discuss implementation hurdles, and suggest a balanced, sustainable path forward.
Vyyuha Quick Recall
Vyyuha Quick Recall: FOREST
- F — Forests & Afforestation (Green Carbon, GIM, FSI data)
- O — Ocean & Blue Carbon (Mangroves, Seagrass, MISHTI Scheme)
- R — Reforestation & Restoration (Replanting degraded forest land)
- E — Enhanced Soil Carbon (No-till, Cover Cropping, NMSA)
- S — Sustainable Agriculture (Agroforestry, Biochar, Soil health)
- T — Technological Solutions (CCS, DAC, Industrial Capture)