Global warming is one of the most severe challenges facing human society and is directly related to the survival and development of humankind. The increasing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO₂, CH4, and N₂O into the atmosphere is the main factor causing global warming. It has been becoming the most critical and complex environmental problem facing humankind). To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality for mitigating global climate change, countries have taken various measures to reduce GHG emissions and increase natural carbon sinks. 

Recently, a research team led by Professor Zhang Panyue from Beijing Forestry University's College of Environmental Science and Engineering has published groundbreaking findings entitled "Carbon sequestration potential of wetlands and regulating strategies response to climate change. Carbon sequestration Potential of wetlands and regulating strategies response to climate change" in Environmental Research (Q1, IF=7.7), unveiling critical strategies to enhance wetlands' carbon sequestration potential amid climate change.

Wetlands are important carbon sinks for mitigating climate warming. In this paper, greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes and carbon sequestration capacity of freshwater wetlands, coastal wetlands and constructed wetlands around the world are evaluated, and strategies to improve carbon sequestration by wetlands are proposed based on the main influencing factors. Air temperature and average annual rainfall are significantly positively correlated with CH₄ flux and N₂O flux in freshwater wetlands and coastal wetlands. While chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations of influent are found to be the main factors affecting GHG fluxes in constructed wetlands. The main factors affecting wetland carbon storage include the presence and species of wetland vegetation, ecological water level, and ecological pattern. Strategies for protecting and restoring existing wetlands, creating new wetlands, and strengthening the carbon sequestration capacity of wetlands are proposed. Fully realizing the carbon sequestration potential of wetlands holds the prospect of a more effective and sustainable response to global climate change. 

The first author of this paper is Zhang Yajie, a doctoral student from the College of Environmental Science and Engineering, and the corresponding authors are professors Zhang Panyue and Wang Qiang. Beijing Forestry University is the signature unit of the first author. 

Paper link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.120890  

Written by Zhang Yajie
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang