Research Shows Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's Essential Function in Carbon Capture
The recent findings of the second Qinghai-Xizang Plateau scientific expedition and research, released on Sunday, reveal that the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau ecosystem absorbs an estimated 120 to 140 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year. This significant absorption represents 10 to 16 percent of China's total ecosystem carbon sink.
TroibNews 
The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau ecosystem is estimated to absorb between 120 and 140 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year, which makes up 10 to 16 percent of China's total ecosystem carbon sink. This information was revealed in the findings from the second Qinghai-Xizang Plateau scientific expedition and research, which were released on Sunday.
Despite the plateau emitting 55 million tonnes of CO2 annually, it maintains a carbon surplus that exceeds 65 million tonnes, according to Yao Tandong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leader of the scientific research survey. He shared this information during a press conference in Lhasa.
Yao also pointed out that the plateau's 1.4 million square kilometers of permafrost contains an impressive 37 billion tonnes of organic carbon, which represents over 60 percent of the total soil carbon stock in the region. "However, the potential thawing of deep permafrost due to future climate warming could pose a risk to its carbon sequestration capacity," Yao cautioned.
To effectively evaluate the plateau's carbon sink capacity, the research team developed the Global Observation-based System for Monitoring Greenhouse Gas (GONGGA) system independently. This system combines atmospheric transport modeling, observations of CO2 concentration, and CO2 emission inventories. It not only aids China's "dual carbon" goals by providing critical scientific data but also offers valuable methodologies and data for global carbon accounting and assessments.
Yao emphasized the potential for improvement by stating, "Going forward, the carbon sink function of the plateau can be enhanced further by improving the quality of grassland and forest ecosystems."
The second scientific expedition and research initiative for the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was launched in August 2017, aimed at uncovering the mechanisms of environmental change and offering scientific support for the ecological security of the plateau.
(Cover photo designed by CN's Huang Ruiqi)
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
Despite the plateau emitting 55 million tonnes of CO2 annually, it maintains a carbon surplus that exceeds 65 million tonnes, according to Yao Tandong, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leader of the scientific research survey. He shared this information during a press conference in Lhasa.
Yao also pointed out that the plateau's 1.4 million square kilometers of permafrost contains an impressive 37 billion tonnes of organic carbon, which represents over 60 percent of the total soil carbon stock in the region. "However, the potential thawing of deep permafrost due to future climate warming could pose a risk to its carbon sequestration capacity," Yao cautioned.
To effectively evaluate the plateau's carbon sink capacity, the research team developed the Global Observation-based System for Monitoring Greenhouse Gas (GONGGA) system independently. This system combines atmospheric transport modeling, observations of CO2 concentration, and CO2 emission inventories. It not only aids China's "dual carbon" goals by providing critical scientific data but also offers valuable methodologies and data for global carbon accounting and assessments.
Yao emphasized the potential for improvement by stating, "Going forward, the carbon sink function of the plateau can be enhanced further by improving the quality of grassland and forest ecosystems."
The second scientific expedition and research initiative for the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was launched in August 2017, aimed at uncovering the mechanisms of environmental change and offering scientific support for the ecological security of the plateau.
(Cover photo designed by CN's Huang Ruiqi)
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
