Soil carbon storage capacity as a tool to prioritize areas for carbon sequestration

Carbon dioxide (CO₂), one of the major components of greenhouse gases, is of major concern in terms of the global warming phenomenon. To mitigate the effect of atmospheric CO₂, carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been found to be an important tool. The present study aims at explaining the role of soils as one of the most important natural resources in enhancing CCS. Soils capture and store both organic and inorganic forms of carbon and thus act both as source and sink for atmospheric CO₂. The datasets developed on CCS of soils permit us to generate thematic maps on soil carbon stocks, which may serve as ready reckoners for planners in prioritizing C sequestration programmes.