Context:
Global Carbon Project published Global Carbon Budget report during U.N.’s COP 29 climate summit.
Global Carbon Project (GCP):
- Established in – 2001.
- Aim – To track the trends in global carbon emissions and sinks
- Publishes global budgets for 3 dominant greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Key Findings:
- Temperature Projections – At the current emission rates, there’s a 50% chance that global average temperatures will consistently exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within about six years.
- This year might be the 1st time this threshold is crossed.
- Fossil-based CO2 emissions are projected to reach a record high of 37.4 billion tonnes this year.
- Major Contributors – In 2023, China (31%), the USA (13%), India (8%), and the European Union (7%) were the largest contributors to global fossil CO2 emissions, collectively accounting for 59% of the total.
- Land-Use Changes – Emissions from land-use changes, such as deforestation, have decreased by 20% over the past decade.
- Reforestation efforts have offset about half of the emissions from permanent deforestation.
- CO2 Sinks – Land and ocean CO2 sinks absorbed around half of the total CO2 emissions, despite being adversely affected by climate change.
Source: Global Carbon Project
Previous Year Question
Consider the following activities:
1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively
2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime
3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters
How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (c)