国内英语资讯:Chinas terrestrial ecosystems play key role in carbon sink: research_时事

国内英语资讯:Chinas terrestrial ecosystems play key role in carbon sink: research

Reviewers of PNAS commented that the study is important because it demonstrates how ecosystem restoration can play a substantial role in climate change mitigation.

"The decade from 2001 to 2010 was a period when China made a rapid economic development. It's a remarkable achievement that China's terrestrial ecosystems could offset 14.1 percent of the carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels," Fang said.

Yu Guirui, deputy director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the CAS, said the research shows that China has great potential in carbon sequestration.

"Previously people were not sure whether we could mitigate climate warming by artificial means. China has implemented so many ecological programs, which were originally for the purpose of ecological protection. But our research demonstrates that those projects also play an important role in carbon sink," Yu said.

"In our previous study, we also found the phenomenon of carbon increase in farmlands in some regions. But we lacked comprehensive data. Through this research we are now confident that China's advancement in agriculture management not only guarantees grain production but also contributes to carbon sequestration."

Yu called on the government to continue to support basic investigation and research to get a clearer understanding of China's carbon sinks.

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity. The Paris Agreement, which took effect on November 4, 2016, became the second legally binding climate agreement after the Kyoto Protocol, and coordinates global efforts to combat climate change.