Latest news with #carbonstorage
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
‘Mud matters' – research shows saltmarshes are significant carbon store
Saltmarshes are 'significant' carbon stores, but are at risk from rising sea levels, new research reveals. A report from conservation charity WWF in partnership with insurance giant Aviva highlights the important role of saltmarshes around the UK's coasts in tackling climate change and protecting coastal communities. The report reveals findings from a solar-powered 'carbon flux tower', funded by Aviva, which measures the exchange of key greenhouse gas carbon dioxide between the air and the saltmarsh on the Ribble Estuary, Lancashire. It is a technique already used to monitor carbon capture and releases in other vital habitats such as woodlands and peatlands, but has now been adapted and applied to saltmarsh, with the Ribble Estuary producing the first results from a new network of towers. The data show the habitat is a significant 'sink' or store of carbon dioxide, and while there are seasonal fluctuations in storage and release of the gas, the amount absorbed during the spring and summer outweighs what is released during the autumn and winter months. WWF and Aviva are calling for saltmarshes to be included in the UK's 'greenhouse gas inventory' – the official record of the country's emissions and removals which is used to track progress towards reducing climate pollution to zero overall, known as net zero. The two organisations argue that including saltmarshes would improve national reporting and help unlock funding and policy supporting the habitat's protection and restoration. Experts warn that 85% of the UK's saltmarshes, which provide wildlife habitat, carbon capture and natural flood management through slowing the movement of seawater inland, have been lost since the mid 19th century. The remaining habitat plays a 'crucial role' in shielding coasts from rising seas and storm surges, helping protect assets worth more than £200 billion in England and Wales, the report said. But with climate change driving rising sea levels, the new report, produced in collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the RSPB, assesses how the country's remaining marshes are faring as waters rise. To find out if saltmarshes were able to maintain their height above sea level, the conservationists set up a network of surface elevation tables, which measure how marsh height changes over time, across six UK saltmarshes. The assessment found that generally saltmarshes were gaining height, although the results varied by region. Marshes in areas such as Chichester and The Wash in East Anglia appear to be expanding, while those in North Norfolk and the Ribble are showing signs of struggling in the face of rising sea levels, the report said. Tom Brook, ocean conservation specialist at WWF, said: 'The results are in, and mud matters. Saltmarshes are powerful natural allies in the fight against climate change – storing carbon, protecting our coasts and supporting rich biodiversity. 'As extreme weather and rising sea levels put more people and places at risk, the case for protecting and restoring these habitats has never been stronger. 'This research adds to a growing body of evidence showing that saltmarshes are not just ecologically important but essential to building a resilient, net zero future.'
E&E News
5 days ago
- Business
- E&E News
CO2 storage approval forecast slashed 65%
Federal and state agencies are projected to approve less than half the number of carbon storage permits than previously forecast this year, an analytics firm said Wednesday. In a new report, Enverus Intelligence Research projected 14 permit approvals for Class VI wells in 2025, down 65 percent from the company's prior estimate of 40. Yet, while the number of approvals forecast for this year is more muted than once expected, it's still an uptick over the five approved in 2024, the report showed. The update from Enverus also comes amid a push by the federal government to put greater control over carbon dioxide well permitting into the hands of state agencies and departments. Advertisement Several well permits were expected to be approved this December, but those targets have shifted into 2026, according to Brad Johnston, an Enverus Intelligence Research analyst. Estimated approval dates often get extended, Johnston said, as EPA and states wait for applicants to reply to requests for more information or because of deficiency notices.
E&E News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
Interior advances Wyoming carbon storage project
A carbon project in southwestern Wyoming took a step forward last week as the Interior Department authorized its use of underground storage and said further environmental review won't be required. The sign-off from Interior's Bureau of Land Management will allow Frontier Carbon Solutions to store carbon dioxide across 44,350 acres of federal pore space in Wyoming. Frontier is slated to be the operator of the site, which is called the Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub CO2 sequestration project. An affiliated company, Pond Field, submitted the application to BLM. Advertisement The right-of-way approval was based on 'a lack of potential significant impacts' and meeting the project's purpose and need, the agency's Kemmerer Field Office said in a decision record.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Map shows 80% of England's peatlands dry and degraded
New mapping data has shown 80% of England's peatlands to be dry and damaged. The government said the findings, shown on an open source map, presented a worrying picture, with degraded peat emitting carbon into the atmosphere and contributing to global peat is the country's biggest carbon store but when damaged it releases planet-warming greenhouse gases into the the most extensive peatland habitat was shown to be found across parts of the Lake District, the Pennines, North York Moors and in the uplands of the south-west of England. Scientists have used satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and in-depth data analysis to create the most complete map of England's peatland and peaty soils to date, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) vital carbon sinks, healthy peatlands can help tackle climate change, reduce flood risk, improve water quality and support rare wildlife, including the golden plover, curlews and 25 species of dragonflies. The map models the extent, depth and important aspects of the condition of England's peat, including vegetation, gullies and man-made as well as natural draining found that peaty soil covers roughly 8.5% of England's surface with four-fifths of England's peatlands also revealed to be in a dry and degraded map showed that three-quarters of the surface was shown to be covered by plants and land use types associated with dryer conditions such as heather, while only 1% is covered by important peat-forming plants such as sphagnum Wildlife Trust said it was looking to restore some of its peatlands, which were historically burned to help heat homes last in Dartmoor, the University of Exeter estimates just 1% of its deep peat is healthy, peat-forming to restore this vital natural resource are under way, including in Exmoor, Dartmoor and Cornwall, but scientists are warning climate change could make that difficult. Natural England's chief scientist, Dr Sallie Bailey, said: "Mapping peat to this level of detail will help us maximise the benefits of peat and massively advances our understanding the role our peatlands are playing in a changing climate."Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, said the map "would allow us to make far better and more informed decisions when it comes to managing peatlands - targeting restoration efforts to the most degraded peat and identifying the best opportunities for nature recovery". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Study finds Hong Kong forests can store more than 7 million tonnes of carbon
A study has found that Hong Kong forests can store more than seven million metric tonnes of carbon, about one-fifth of the city's annual emissions. The Conservancy Association released the findings of its three-year study last month. The research looked at more than 100 native tree species and their carbon storage capabilities to see which trees in Hong Kong have the best potential to capture greenhouse gases. To determine which species have the highest capacity to store carbon, the team sampled over 90 plots of forest land and collected data from more than 20,000 trees. The data will be given to authorities and private developers to assess the carbon footprint of future projects. The study could provide more information for the city's development, the group's conservation manager, Dr Angie Ng Ying-sim, said. Projects could involve reforestation and carbon dioxide removal. Ng said Hong Kong had great potential to create a carbon sink – a natural area which absorbs more carbon than it produces. One-quarter of the city is woodlands. One-third is grassland and shrub land. Planting species that store more carbon in these areas could maximise the effects of carbon sink. Quiz time Who conducted the study about carbon storage? How many trees were assessed in the study? What is a carbon sink? How much of Hong Kong is woodlands? Children participate in Hong Kong Tree Plantation Day 2025 at Tai Tong in Yuen Long. Photo: Elson Li Suggested answers The Conservancy Association 20,000 (20,000 trees, 100 species) a natural area that absorbs more carbon than it produces one-quarter
