What is carbon sequestration?

Carbon sequestration is a method for managing the amount of carbon dioxide (C0₂) that is released into the atmosphere by burning carbon-based fuels—predominantly carbon-rich petroleum fuels. It is a relatively new idea brought about by the concern that high concentrations of atmospheric C0₂ contribute to global warming. In principle, carbon sequestration refers to storage of carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

There are three main methods in various states of discovery and development:

• Near term storage in the terrestrial biosphere where vegetation would soak up the C0₂ and store it in biomass and soil.
• Long term storage in the earth’s soil by pumping CO₂ into existing or drilled/excavated sub-surface reservoirs.
• Long term storage in the earth’s oceans where CO₂ would be injected thousands of feet deep and trapped by the water.