Rock farming is a way to achieve net zero emissions

Rock farmingA path to achieving net zero emissions

A recent study showed that farmers around the world can contribute to reducing carbon emissions, in order to achieve the goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Net zero emissions by 2050. The study suggests that mixing parts of volcanic rock with soil could play an effective role in absorbing carbon from the air. The study also shows that humid and warm environments are the best locations for applying this innovative mechanism. In order to obtain the best results.

This study provides one of the first global estimates of the rate of reduction in carbon dioxide resulting from the addition of basalt to agricultural lands around the world. It was published in the journal “Earth’s Future,” issued by the American Geophysical Union, and specializes in interdisciplinary research into the past, present, and future of our planet and its inhabitants.

Enhanced rock weathering

This type of environmental intervention is called “enhanced rock weathering”. By the term weathering, we mean the process of decomposition and disintegration of soil minerals and rocks on the surface layer and the layers close to it, by atmospheric factors.

The weathering process is a natural process that occurs without any human intervention, and is characterized by the fact that it isolates carbon dioxide in carbonate minerals, as the minerals in the rocks interact with air and water; To produce new minerals and rocks, while the remaining materials after this process combine with organic materials to form soil.

The idea in this research is to accelerate the rock weathering process, to allow the absorption of large amounts of carbon dioxide; To help combat climate change. What is striking here is that this new mechanism is considered the safest way to reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, compared to other carbon reduction mechanisms, such as carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS).

Han Baek, a climate scientist at Yale University and leader of the research team, says: “Enhanced rock weathering has a lower risk when compared to other environmental interventions, and it also provides fundamental advantages, such as replenishing depleted soils, which may make this mechanism more socially acceptable.”

This recent study focuses on the effectiveness of adding basalt rocks – one of the rapidly weathering rocks consisting of volcanic lava – to agricultural lands around the world, and also focuses on the geographical areas qualified to benefit from these rocks more efficiently than others.

New simulation model to calculate impacts

In a previous study, researchers relied on a separate mechanism to calculate the amount of reduction in carbon dioxide amounts by 2050, but the researchers of this study wanted to look far beyond the borders of countries and the current time.

The researchers used a new biogeochemical model to simulate the results that would be obtained when adding basalt to agricultural lands around the world. With the aim of reducing carbon dioxide. This simulation aims to test the sensitivity of this mechanism to climate, in addition to showing the best geographical areas for applying this mechanism.

The new model simulates enhanced rock weathering on 1,000 agricultural sites around the world in two different emission scenarios, between 2006 and 2080. The results show that these agricultural areas reduced the amount of 64 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide over the estimated 75-year study period, by generalizing these estimates to all agricultural fields. To appreciate the full potential for global application of this mechanism. It is expected to sequester up to 217 gigatonnes of carbon during that time period.

It is worth noting that the latest IPCC report showed that we need to remove between 100 and 1,000 gigatonnes of carbon by 2100, in addition to sharply reducing emissions. To keep the planet’s temperature from rising more than one and a half degrees Celsius. If the new mechanism is used to place basalt on all suitable agricultural lands around the world, the carbon removal estimates that we referred to in the previous paragraph will exceed the minimum we need to have a better chance of achieving our climate goals.

The study shows that enhanced rock weathering is expected to occur faster in tropical environments at high latitudes. As weathering occurs at a faster rate in hot and humid environments.

ToleranceClimate changes

The simulation model showed another promising result, which is that the improved rock weathering mechanism can work at higher temperatures – also – expected in the future, and will then work better, in contrast to some other mechanisms that are affected by rising temperatures.

In this context, Pike stated that the improved rock weathering – surprisingly – is resistant to climate change, adding that the results they obtained clearly show that the improved rock weathering is not affected by different climatic conditions, as the mechanism works with almost the same efficiency in both moderate temperature and warming scenarios. It is extremely global, which gave the researchers confidence to rely on the simulation results if this strategy is applied in the long term.

Currently, farmers are already adding millions of tons of limestone to their fields, to deliver nutrients and control soil acidity. Therefore, the gradual mixing of basalt into the rocks that farmers use in their fields may mean a smooth transition towards the application of the improved rock weathering mechanism in a broad context. Thus significantly reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

In conclusion, it should be noted that improved rock weathering has been applied on a small scale on some farms, and future steps will include working to spread this mechanism on a large scale among various countries around the world.