2.3.5—Carbon sequestration

Sequestration removes atmospheric CO₂ into a store; its climate value depends on how much is captured and how long it stays there.

Trees capture CO₂ into biomass and soil, but fire or decomposition can return it. Geological storage is slower to reverse, so permanence and leakage risk matter.

A planted forest stores carbon for 30 years, then burns; the earlier uptake counts, but the stock is not durable unless regrowth or another store replaces it.

No. Assess the net atmospheric change over the relevant timescale and the risk of re-release.

Calling a project ‘carbon neutral’ from gross planting alone ignores later losses and displaced emissions.