Europe's first climate sink inaugurated in Monaco

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2007

MONACO (AFP) — Prince Albert of Monaco inaugurated Europe's first so-called "climate sink," in a bid to help fight global warming. The concept of carbon sinks is based on the natural ability of trees, other plants and the soil to soak up carbon dioxide and temporarily store the carbon in wood, roots, leaves and the soil, thus purifying the atmosphere by absorbing part of the carbon dioxide generated by human activity.

Unlike natural sinks, the one set up on Saturday on 120 hectares of scrubland near Monaco contains equipment to measure how much CO2 has been absorbed. In a short speech Prince Albert, who planted several trees to mark the occasion, stressed the "urgency" of fighting global warming. Several other such "sinks" are expected to be set up in France in the coming...