Figure shows growth in fossil fuel CO₂ emissions (black line) and forest and total land carbon sinks in the U.S. for 1990–2010 (green and orange lines; from EPA 20124aa93bb8-c0d0-4735-83c2-988b43ae88f0) and for 2003 (symbols; from the first State of the Carbon Cycle Reportd980c73d-d2ba-47cb-b6d7-03e0c30f2ed9). Carbon emissions are significantly higher than the total land sink’s capacity to absorb and store them. (Data from EPA 20124aa93bb8-c0d0-4735-83c2-988b43ae88f0 and CCSP 2007d980c73d-d2ba-47cb-b6d7-03e0c30f2ed9).