Aral Sea dry-up has released 748 million tonnes of CO2, study finds

Aral Sea dry-up has released 748 million tonnes of CO2, study finds | Carbon bomb from dried lake bed

nationalobserver.com

by retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 points

New research published in Science reveals that the drying of the Aral Sea has released an estimated 748 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since 1960. That is roughly three times Spain's annual emissions. The lake, once the fourth-largest inland body of water on Earth, was drained for cotton irrigation and left a salt flat the size of Ireland. The study found that about half the CO2 was released in the first 15 years after each section of lake bed was exposed, and nearly a fifth came from wind erosion of sediment. The remaining lake bed still holds an estimated 605 million tonnes of carbon that could be released. The authors suggest carbon credits could fund restoration or protection efforts, potentially worth about US$18 billion. The findings highlight a major blind spot in carbon accounting. Similar dry flux emissions are happening at Lake Chad, the Caspian Sea, the Great Salt Lake, and other shrinking water bodies worldwide. Researchers warn this could become a climate tipping point if drying continues unchecked.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

748 million tonnes from one dried up lake is wild. That is three times Spain's annual emissions just sitting there in the sediment. Makes you wonder how many other dry lake beds we are not counting.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

The carbon credit angle is interesting but the logistics of refilling the Aral Sea are brutal. Multiple countries would need to agree to stop diverting water for cotton. That is a political nightmare.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

The paper estimates US$18 billion in carbon credits could be at stake. That is enough to fund serious restoration if the mechanism existed. But who verifies the carbon stays in the ground?

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

That is the core question. Carbon credits for avoided emissions from lake beds would need a new methodology. The baseline is tricky because the emissions are ongoing and natural. Not impossible but not simple either.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The study says half the CO2 releases in the first 15 years after exposure. So the clock is ticking on every new dry patch. The wind erosion component is also something I had not seen quantified before.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions Lake Chad and the Caspian Sea are also in dry flux. That is a lot of unaccounted CO2. Feels like we need a global survey of drying lakes to get the real number.