Abstract
Carbon sequestration, the conversion of greenhouse gas CO2 toorganic matter, offers a powerful tool with which to combat climate change. The enlargement of carbon sinks stored in soil and biota is an essential tool in buying time while mankind seeks means to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to reduce the elevated levels of atmospheric CO2. Carbon sequestration within the context of the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) also has great potential as an incentive for combating land degradation and desertification and restoring fertility to degraded land.Decisions regarding carbon sinks during finalization of the operational details of the Kyoto Protocol in 2001 fit well the needs of countries facing land degradation and desertification. However, incentives for such mitigation through the Clean Development Mechanism of the protocol are limited to forestry issues. Iceland provides a good example of the multiple role of carbon sequestration in meeting national commitments to UNFCCC, conserving and restoring biological diversity, combating soil erosion, revegetation of eroded land and reforestation. Linking carbon sequestration with such goals has resulted in increased funds for soil conservation and restoration of degraded land in Iceland.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aradottir, A. L., Svavarsdottir, K., Jonsson, Th. H., and Gudbergsson, G.: 2000, ‘Carbon Accumulation in Vegetation and Soils by Reclamation of Degraded Areas’, Icel. Agr. Sci. 13, 99–113.
Arnalds, A.: 1987, ‘Ecosystem Disturbance in Iceland’, Arctic and Alpine Research 19, 508–513.
Arnalds, A.: 1999, ‘Incentives for Soil Conservation in Iceland’, in Sanders, D., Huszar, P. C., Sombatpanit, S., and Enters, T. (eds.), Incentives in Soil Conservation, Enfield, New Hampshire, Science Publishers, Inc., on behalf of WASWC, IBSRAM, SWSCT, and DLD, Bangkok, pp. 135–150.
Arnalds, A.: 2000, ‘Evolution of Rangeland Conservation Strategies’, in Arnalds, O. and Archer, S. (eds.), Rangeland Desertification, Advances in Vegetation Sciences Series, Kluwer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, pp. 153–163.
Arnalds, O.: 1999, ‘Desertification: An Appeal for a Broader Perspective’, in Arnalds, O. and Archer, S. (eds.), Rangeland Desertification, Advances in Vegetation Sciences Series, Kluwer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, Kluwer, pp. 5–16.
Arnalds, O., Aradottir A. L., and Gudbergsson. G.: 2002, ‘Organic Carbon Sequestration by Restoration of Severely Degraded Areas in Iceland’, in Kimble, J. M., Lal, R., and Follett, R. F. (eds.), Agricultural Practices and Policies for Carbon Sequestration in Soil, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 267–280.
Arnalds, O., Gudbergsson, G., and Gudmundson, J.: 2000, ‘Carbon Sequestration and Reclamation of Severely Degraded Soils in Iceland’, Icel. Agr. Sci. 13: 87–97.
Arnalds, O. and Kimble, J.: 2001, ‘Andosols of Deserts in Iceland’, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 65, 1778-1786.
Arnalds, O., Thorarinsdottir, E. F., Metusalemsson, S. M., Jonsson, A., Gretarsson, E., and Arnason, A.: 2001, Soil Erosion in Iceland, Soil Conservation Service and Agricultural Research Institute, 157 pp.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations): 1997, State of the World’s Forests, Rome: FAO.
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change): 2001, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Jonsson, T. H. and Oskarsson, U.: 1996, ‘Afforestation and Soil Reclamation as Sinks for Carbon Doxide Eissions’, (in Icelandic), Skogræktarritiò 1996, 65–80.
Lal, R.: 2001, ‘Potential of Desertification Control to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effects’, Clim. Change 51, 35–72.
Ministry of Agriculture: 2000, Status Report on Carbon Sequestration, (in Icelandic), Ministry of Agriculture, Reykjavik.
Orlando, B., Baldock, D., Canger, S., Mackensen, J., Maginnis, S., Socorro, M., Rietbergen, S., Robledo, C., and Schneider, N.: 2002, Carbon, Forests and People: Towards the Integrated Management of Carbon Sequestration, the Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, U.K., vi + 42 pp.
Oskarsson, H., Arnalds, O., Gudmundsson, J., and Gudbergsson, G.: 2004, ‘Organic Carbon in Icelandic Andosols: Geographical Variation and Impact of Erosion’, TICATENA 56, 225–238.
Thorsteinsson, I.: 1986, ‘The Effect of Grazing on Stability and Development of Northern Rangelands: A Case Study of Iceland’, in Gudmundsson, O. (ed.), Grazing Research at Northern Latitudes, Plenum Press, New York, NY, pp. 37–43.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Arnalds, A. Carbon Sequestration and the Restoration of Land Health. Climatic Change 65, 333–346 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CLIM.0000038204.60219.0a
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:CLIM.0000038204.60219.0a