How does wetlands affect climate change?
How does wetlands affect climate change?
Wetlands play an important role in climate change, because of their capacity to modulate atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, which are dominant greenhouse gases contributing to about 60%, 20% and 6% of the global warming potential, respectively (IPCC, 2007).
How wetlands can help mitigate the effects of climate change?
Background: Wetlands provide many functions and services that can reduce the impacts of climate change, from providing water storage to reduce flooding and drought, reduce the risk of wildlife, infiltrate stromwater, and provide buffers for storm surge and sea level rise.
What has Nigeria done about climate change?
Nigeria has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030, when compared to “business-as-usual” levels. This pledge rises to 45% on the condition of international support.
Is wetland restoration a climate change mitigation or adaptation strategy?
The need for strategies to mitigate climate change and adapt to its changing conditions has become urgent. The protection and restoration of wetlands is a key component of the measures needed to mitigate climate change and reduce disaster risks.
How do wetlands regulate climate?
Through the storage and sequestration of carbon, wetlands play a significant role in global carbon cycles. However, wetlands can also act as a source and a sink for greenhouse gases and they can influence local and regional temperature, precipitation and other weather patterns.
How much does Nigeria contribute to global warming?
Included is an overview of emissions by sector, changes in emissions, information on carbon intensity, as well as climate change mitigation targets and plans. Nigeria’s total GHG emissions in 2014 were 492.44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), totaling 1.01 percent of global GHG emissions.
Why are dams a threat to wetland ecosystems?
Dams alter the natural flow of a river to meet human needs. Wetland areas like swamps, marshes, etc., might suffer from a lower or a higher flow of water than normal due to the construction of dams. Thus, dams have the power to permanently damage the wetland ecosystems.
How much co2 do wetlands absorb?
Under elevated carbon dioxide levels, wetland plants can absorb up to 32 percent more carbon than they do at current levels, according to a 19-year study published in Global Change Biology from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Md.
Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment. They protect our shores from wave action, reduce the impacts of floods, absorb pollutants and improve water quality. They provide habitat for animals and plants and many contain a wide diversity of life, supporting plants and animals that are found nowhere else.