Final answer:
Carbon management is crucial because it supports crucial Earth processes and impacts climate change. Non-renewable fossil fuels, when used, release carbon dioxide, affecting the atmosphere. Managing carbon storage in soil and forests can mitigate these effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon is a resource that needs careful management because it plays an essential role in the Earth's climate and life processes. On land, carbon is stored in soil as organic carbon, and deeper underground, it is found in the form of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
These fossil fuels are considered a non-renewable resource because they are being used much faster than they are formed, and they release carbon dioxide when burned, contributing to climate change. Furthermore, carbon capture and sequestration are important methods for managing atmospheric CO₂ levels.
Proper management of soil and forest ecosystems has been shown to create additional carbon sinks, enhancing the mitigation of atmospheric carbon levels.