Summary
This Nature Reviews Earth & Environment article, authored by a multidisciplinary team of soil scientists and geochemists, provides a critical appraisal of enhanced rock weathering as a climate change mitigation tool. The authors examine the scientific evidence for carbon dioxide removal claims, identify key uncertainties in weathering kinetics and soil carbon persistence, and discuss practical and environmental constraints to large-scale adoption. The review suggests that whilst ERW offers potential soil fertility co-benefits, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding net climate effectiveness and unintended consequences under real-world farming conditions.
UK applicability
Given the UK's soil types, climate, and agricultural infrastructure, the review's findings on ERW feasibility and constraints are directly relevant to national decarbonisation policy and soil improvement schemes. The identified uncertainties may inform UK research priorities and regulatory guidance on rock weathering products marketed to farmers.
Key measures
Carbon sequestration potential; soil pH and nutrient availability changes; silicate weathering rates; lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions; co-benefits and trade-offs for soil health and crop productivity
Outcomes reported
This review synthesises evidence on the effectiveness, co-benefits, and uncertainties of enhanced rock weathering (ERW) as a carbon dioxide removal and soil amendment strategy. The paper examines constraints on deployment, measurement robustness, and net climate impact across diverse agricultural and non-agricultural settings.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.