A well-known fact about trees is their capacity to store carbon dioxide, utilizing it for growth. Younger, rapidly growing trees are more effective at absorbing carbon compared to mature trees. However, this stored carbon is not permanent, as it gets released back into the atmosphere when trees decay or burn, such as in wildfires.
Researchers from the UK, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic have proposed a unique solution: submerging mature trees from the expansive boreal forest into the deep Arctic Ocean to sequester their carbon for centuries. In a study published in the online journal “npj Climate Action,” the scientists employed computer models to analyze the impact of removing specific old, fire-prone tree stands in Canada, Alaska, and Russia. These trees would be floated down six Arctic rivers, including the Yukon and Mackenzie, and sunk in the Arctic Ocean. Simultaneously, new fast-growing trees would be planted to boost carbon absorption from the atmosphere.
The study revealed that sinking trees annually in three areas covering 10,000 square kilometers each, just one percent of the boreal forest, could remove one gigaton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. Despite the potential carbon storage benefits, the significant energy and associated carbon emissions required for such a project must be considered. The process involves using large machinery to fell trees in forests, transport them to rivers, float them downstream, and sink them in the Arctic Ocean.
Moreover, concerns exist about the impact on marine organisms once the logs are submerged and the disruption to the forest ecosystem caused by tree removal. Additionally, the traditional lifestyle of Indigenous populations residing in these forests could be affected. This initiative is part of broader geoengineering strategies aimed at mitigating escalating carbon emissions, such as spraying particles into the upper atmosphere or constructing a sunshade in space, albeit with uncertain consequences on natural systems.
Ultimately, addressing the root cause of burning fossil fuels is crucial to combatting global carbon emissions. Technologies like solar power, wind energy, geothermal power, and nuclear fusion offer emission-free energy solutions. While progress is being made in adopting clean technologies, overcoming resistance to change and transitioning away from fossil fuels remains a challenge. The focus should be on implementing sustainable energy sources to tackle the underlying issue, rather than resorting to large-scale geoengineering interventions as temporary fixes.