Latest news with #carbonSequestration
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Climate tipping point might have been crossed before the ‘Great Dying'
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. One of the most notable extinction events in Earth's history has provided us with a new discovery. Recently discovered fossils from the time period known as the 'Great Dying' have revealed that the climate tipping point had likely already been crossed before the event began. The Great Dying, which is scientifically known as the Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction, took place roughly 252 million years ago. This event led to the extinction of most marine species, as well as significant declines in land-based plants and animals. While the event is usually attributed to extreme global warming caused by a period of volcanic activity, scientists have always been perplexed about why the intense greenhouse conditions continued for roughly five million years after the extinction event. Today's Top Deals XGIMI Prime Day deals feature the new MoGo 4 and up to 42% off smart projectors Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals According to the fossils discovered from the time period, scientists may have found their answer. Based on the findings, which the researchers have published in Nature Communications, the demise and slow recovery of tropical forests from the time period limited what we call carbon sequestration. This is the process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in plants and the soil. It's vital to controlling the state of the climate across our planet. Without this process, carbon dioxide couldn't be removed as stably from the atmosphere, allowing it to continue building up. This resulted in prolonged periods where high levels of carbon dioxide existed in the atmosphere. As such, the researchers believe the climate tipping point had already been crossed before the volcanic activity that fostered the event actually began. This is the only high-temperature event in Earth's history that we know of where the important biosphere found in the tropical forest collapsed. That's why the researchers began going down this path of study in the first place. And after years of collecting data and looking at fossil records, the researchers finally have the data to back up the hypothesis. This belief also seems to back up the idea that there are various tipping points, or thresholds, that exist in the Earth's climate-carbon system. And when these tipping points are reached—similarly to how we have come close to them now—global warming can be amplified greatly. If the tipping point had been reached, then it could have helped spur along the volcanic activity to which researchers often attribute the event's beginning. What we do with this data, though, is up to the researchers. It could be vital to understanding the state of our own fight against climate change, as well as the possibility of whether or not we'll be able to stop ourselves from crossing the tipping point again. More Top Deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 See the
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: Invests in innovation to power low-carbon future
MUSCAT: Oman is advancing a climate-resilient investment model by integrating environmental goals with strategic economic growth. Two standout initiatives backed by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) signal this shift: a large-scale lemon tree plantation for carbon sequestration and the localisation of cutting-edge water treatment technologies through the US-based firm Gradiant. In Dhofar's Rahab Farm, Nakheel Oman Development, under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and funding from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), has planted 30,000 Omani lemon trees. This landmark project is one of the first nature-based carbon sequestration investments in Oman and is expected to play a dual role—capturing atmospheric carbon while enhancing national food security. The lemon trees are projected to increase Omani lemon production by 38 per cent, reaching approximately 11,000 tonnes annually. Beyond output, the project strengthens Oman's alignment with its net-zero emissions target by 2050. Using groundwater and smart irrigation systems that respond to soil moisture, the initiative maximises resource efficiency—offering a scalable model for sustainable agriculture in arid environments. 'This is more than a farm—it's a carbon sink with economic yield,' a senior OIA official noted. 'It shows how local ecosystems can be turned into assets within the global carbon market, while directly supporting food production and rural employment.' Equally transformative is OIA's investment in Gradiant, a global leader in water and wastewater treatment. Through the full acquisition of Muscat Projects and Engineering Services (MPES), Gradiant has established a strong operating base in Oman, providing engineering and procurement services to key clients including Nama Water Services, the Ministry of Defence, and PDO. The move brings advanced technologies into Oman's utilities sector, especially as climate pressure mounts on water infrastructure. In August 2023, Gradiant launched 'Turing,' an AI-powered digital platform that enhances desalination performance, predicts network leaks, and enables real-time water quality monitoring. These technologies are now being deployed in collaboration with Nama to modernise wastewater treatment systems across the country. In November 2024, OIA supported the launch of the Oman Innovation Labs Center, a research and development facility operated jointly by Gradiant and Nama. The centre is equipped with engineering workshops, electromechanical testing units, and laboratories, designed to accelerate the adoption of smart water technologies tailored for Oman's climate and infrastructure conditions. The localisation of these solutions reflects OIA's broader investment philosophy—prioritising long-term national value, sustainability, and knowledge transfer. 'We are not just investing in foreign companies,' an OIA executive explained. 'We are bringing the most advanced global solutions into Oman and anchoring them locally to build capability and resilience.' Together, these initiatives exemplify the new face of Oman's sovereign investment: rooted in Vision 2040, climate-aligned, innovation-led, and grounded in real economic and environmental returns. From carbon farming to AI-enhanced utilities, Oman is shaping a green economic model that speaks not just to financial growth, but to national transformation. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
