Wetland ‘Carbon Bomb’ Has One of Its Wires Cut: Democratic Republic of Congo Creates World’s Largest Protected Wetland
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07.24.08
Congo River photo by LM TP via flickr.
Scientists warned the world last week that due to human interference in wetlands, a potential 'carbon bomb' is waiting to go off. As wetlands are increasingly drained due to urban sprawl or expansion of agricultural lands the 771 billion tons of carbon dioxide sequestered begins to be released. Now, thanks to action by the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least some of that sequestered carbon will remain out of the atmosphere.
Wetland Twice the Size of Belgium Protected
Announced yesterday, the Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe region of the DR Congo has become the world’s largest area of protected wetland. The 65,696 square kilometer region is located around Lake Tumba, the largest body of freshwater in Africa.
Speaking about the importance of the region, a local WWF representative said, “The Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe area contributes to the regulation of flooding are regional climate and ensures the quality of the water remains good enough for the millions of people who depend on it.”
The protected region has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in the world, acts as buffer zone for flooding of the Congo River, as well being utilized for agricultural purposes.
The previous world record holder in the World’s Largest Protected Wetland category was Canada’s Queen Maud Gulf at 62,782 square kilometers.
via :: ENS
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Regarding your story on the carbon bomb from wetlands.
Tragically one "carbon bomb" is already airborne and in the process of destroying its target. That bomb is the 400 gigatonne fossil CO2 model that contains the already emitted fossil CO2 destined to dissolve into, acidify, and destroy life in the oceans. Even if not one more molecule of fossil CO2 is emitted this bomb is more than sufficient to destroy life in the blue part of this small blue planet. No mere conservation ethic or action will suffice to prevent its apocalyptic effect. One and only one means to defuse this bomb exists and that is the restoration of ocean photosynthesis to levels of 50 years ago. We as a society have the means to restore the oceans and save life on 'earth' but the question is there the will to do so.