{"id":1110,"date":"2022-04-04T14:02:44","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T18:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/ghg\/?page_id=1110"},"modified":"2023-07-11T11:23:45","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T15:23:45","slug":"carbon-sequestration","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/ghg\/about\/carbon-sequestration\/","title":{"rendered":"Carbon Sequestration"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces”][vc_column el_class=”m-0 p-0″][vc_single_image image=”1543″ img_size=”full” el_class=”m-0 p-0″][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjYXJvdXNlbC1jYXB0aW9uJTIwZC1tZC1ibG9jayUyMGQtc20tYmxvY2slMjIlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NoMSUzRUNBUkJPTiUyMFNFUVVFU1RSQVRJT04lM0MlMkZoMSUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column][breadcrumb-shortcode][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” gap=”10″ equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”What is Carbon Sequestration?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left|color:%2300669d” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Carbon Sequestration<\/strong> is the natural process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2<\/sub>) from the atmosphere in natural lands that act as sinks. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change defines a sink as any process, activity or mechanism that removes a greenhouse gas or aerosol, or a precursor of a greenhouse gas or aerosol, from the atmosphere. New Jersey\u2019s natural lands such as forests and tidal wetlands lands act as natural sinks, and in 2019 they absorbed 8.1 million metric tons of CO2<\/sub>e from the atmosphere. These natural lands will need to be preserved and enhanced to maximize the carbon sequestration benefits that can be acquired through them.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1544″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”right” style=”vc_box_outline” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” gap=”10″ equal_height=”yes”][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Blue Carbon” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left|color:%2300669d” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Blue Carbon<\/strong> refers to organic carbon that is captured and stored by the oceans and coastal ecosystems, particularly by vegetated coastal ecosystems, seagrass meadows, tidal marshes, and mangrove forests. Coastal ecosystems such as tidal marshes and seagrass meadows sequester more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests and the carbon can be stored for millennia.<\/p>\n

It is estimated that New Jersey currently has 191,178[1]<\/a> acres of blue carbon resources, but , but modeling based on NOAA\u2019s sea-level rise predictions of 1 and 2.5 feet by 2050, suggests that the state’s tidal salt marsh could decline between 5 and 9% by 2050 due to sea level rise. Rising seas can, however, create new salt marshes where \u201cmarsh migration\u201d pathways are protected and left open. Tidal salt marsh surface can rise in relation to sea-level through the process of vertical accretion of sediment and organic matter. Ecological solutions that restore tidal flows to salt marshes that have been disconnected from the ocean enable vertical accretion, reduce methane emissions, and should be prioritized for state action.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Based on land cover calculations completed by the NJDEP Bureau of GIS, January 2020<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Oceans and Carbon Sequestration” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left|color:%2300669d” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]The world\u2019s oceans currently absorb just under one-third of anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2)<\/sub> emissions, which is contributing to a rise in ocean acidification and making it more difficult for organisms like oysters and corals to build shells.<\/p>\n

Ocean Acidification<\/strong> is the process by which the addition of CO2 <\/sub>acts to increase seawater acidity and lower pH. Carbon Dioxide dissolves rapidly in seawater, changing its chemistry.\u00a0 As the ocean absorbs an increasing amount of CO2<\/sub>, it also reduces the concentration and availability of the carbonate ions, harming marine organisms.\u00a0 Many marine organisms rely on carbonate ions to develop protective shells and skeletons.<\/p>\n

While increased ocean exposure to atmospheric CO2<\/sub> is the primary driver of ocean acidification in ocean waters globally, several drivers in nearshore coastal shelves and estuaries are attributed to \u2018coastal acidification\u2019 and include inputs of nutrients from fertilizers, wastewater treatment effluents, and pollutants from developed land use patterns.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”64px”][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”1548″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”right” style=”vc_box_outline” onclick=”link_image”][vc_single_image image=”1183″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”right”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”State Action on Carbon Sequestration & Ocean Acidification” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:28|text_align:left|color:%2300669d” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Removing and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere is integral to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are threatening our climate.\u00a0 In recognition of the vital role that carbon sequestration plays in achieving the state\u2019s greenhouse gas reduction goals, the Department of Environmental Protection has:<\/p>\n