Originally published on August 6, 2013
Researchers are proposing to plant jatropha curcas plants in arid regions on a large scale to capture carbon dioxide and to mitigate climate change.
Jatropha curcas is a semi-evergreen shrub. It is resistant to a high degree of aridity and well adapted to harsh environments. It is also capable of growing alone or in combination with other trees and shrub species with minimal irrigation in hot deserts where rain occurs only sporadically.
The system will use desalinated sea water for irrigation and for delivery of mineral nutrients. It is believed that one hectare of jatropha curcas could capture up to 25 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year, over a 20 year period. The plants would also produce bioenergy in the form of tree trimmings to supply power for the desalination and irrigation systems.
It was reported that the main limitations to implementing this method are lack of funding and little knowledge of the benefits large-scale plantations could have in the regional climate, which can include increase of cloud coverage and rainfall.
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