Summary
This Nature Sustainability paper synthesises evidence on soil carbon's role in climate change mitigation, examining sequestration rates across different agricultural and land management practices globally. The authors quantify the realistic potential of soil carbon as a natural climate solution whilst acknowledging uncertainties and limitations in achieving this potential at scale. The work situates soil carbon within the broader portfolio of natural climate solutions needed to meet Paris Agreement targets.
UK applicability
The findings are applicable to UK agriculture and land management policy, particularly regarding commitments to net-zero and the Environmental Land Management schemes. UK soils represent both a significant carbon storage opportunity and a source of existing soil carbon at risk from degradation; the paper's quantification of practice-specific sequestration rates can inform prioritisation of interventions suited to UK climates and soil types.
Key measures
Soil carbon sequestration rates (tonnes CO₂ equivalent per hectare per year), mitigation potential by practice type and biome, baseline soil carbon stocks, and comparison with global climate targets
Outcomes reported
The study assessed the potential contribution of soil carbon sequestration to global climate change mitigation targets and identified key practices and systems that enhance soil carbon storage. It evaluated both the technical potential and the realistic mitigation contributions of soil-based natural climate solutions.
Topic tags
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