In total, there is over 122,600,000 gigatons (one gigaton = one billion metric tons) of carbon between the earth's lithosphere (continental crusts and upper mantle) and atmosphere. The vast majority of this is stored in the lithosphere itself, and plays very little role in the global carbon cycle. Over 40,000 gigatons of the world's carbon stock is stored in the ocean. The majority of this is comprised of dissolved inorganic carbon, which includes carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, and carbonate, among other forms, that has dissolved or been absorbed into water - and this accounts for around 95 percent of the ocean's total. The other five percent found in the world's oceans is made up of sediment that has sunk to the surface of the ocean floor, as well as organic matter. Below the earth's surface, between 1,000-2,000 gigatons is stored in fossil fuel reserves, while around 3,500-4,750 gigatons is stored on the earth's surface in permafrost, soil, and vegetation.
In relation to climate change, the volume of carbon in the earth's atmosphere is the most pressing issue. There are approximately 860 gigatons of carbon in our atmosphere, however an imbalance in the earth's carbon cycle means that there is a surplus 5.1 gigatons of CO2 added each year. The major sources for this are the burning of fossil fuels and land-use conversion (deforestation), which are also depleting the amount of carbon stored on land and below the earth's surface. Additionally, rising temperatures are causing the planet's permafrost to thaw, which not only releases a significant amount of CO2 into the atmosphere, but also methane and other greenhouse gases.
Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019
(in gigatons of carbon)
A figure of 122,576,000 gigatons was given for the earth's lithosphere (continental crusts and upper mantle) from page 5 of this report from the United States Department of Agriculture. Other figures in this source corroborate figures from the ESSD.
For display purposes, a median value has been given in cases where the source gave a range of figures. These ranges are (in gigatons of carbon):
Gas reserves: 385-1135
Coal reserves: 445-54
Oil reserves: 175-265
Soils: 1500-2400
Vegetation: 450-650
Coasts: 10-45
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Earth System Science Data. (January 1, 2020). Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019 (in gigatons of carbon) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/
Earth System Science Data. "Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019 (in gigatons of carbon)." Chart. January 1, 2020. Statista. Accessed August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/
Earth System Science Data. (2020). Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019 (in gigatons of carbon). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: August 24, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/
Earth System Science Data. "Estimated Stock of Carbon in The Earth, Ocean, and Atmosphere by Broad Source or Location in The Period from 2010 to 2019 (in Gigatons of Carbon)." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Jan 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/
Earth System Science Data, Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019 (in gigatons of carbon) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/ (last visited August 24, 2024)
Estimated stock of carbon in the earth, ocean, and atmosphere by broad source or location in the period from 2010 to 2019 (in gigatons of carbon) [Graph], Earth System Science Data, January 1, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1347312/carbon-stocks-broad-source/