Carbon sinks are natural or artificial systems that absorb and store carbon-containing compounds for an indefinite period, thereby removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. Carbon sinks are an important part of the natural carbon cycle, and they play a vital role in capturing excess CO2 from the atmosphere and preventing global temperatures from rising even further.

Here are some key points about carbon sinks:

• Carbon pool: This is the overarching term for all the places where carbon can be found, including the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and fossil fuels.
• Carbon sink: This is a type of carbon pool that has the capability to take up more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.
• Natural carbon sinks: These include forests, oceans, and soil, which absorb and store carbon for an indefinite period of time.
• Artificial carbon sinks: These are systems that store carbon in building materials or deep underground, such as geologic carbon sequestration.
• Carbon source: This is the opposite of a carbon sink, releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than it absorbs. Examples of carbon sources include the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and volcanic eruptions.

Carbon sinks are crucial in the fight against climate change, as they help to balance out levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and prevent further rises in global average temperature. However, natural carbon sinks have a maximum limit, and when exceeded, they can cause ocean acidification, negatively impacting species such as corals, algae, shellfish, and mollusks. Artificial techniques for carbon sequestration exist, but they have not yet acquired the efficiency and maturity needed to cope with the extreme changes that climate change poses.