What You Need to Know
Soil is the largest natural carbon reservoir, crucial for feeding the planet and regulating water cycles. A new report highlights that improving soil carbon storage by just 0.4% annually could offset nearly all global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite its potential, soil restoration is often overlooked in climate agendas, with only 30% of countries recognizing it as a solution.
Africa. Soil is the largest natural source of carbon in the world, responsible for nourishing nearly the entire planet and regulating water cycles, which can help address droughts and floods while storing carbon. However, it remains a secondary topic on the international climate and environmental agenda.
Some studies suggest that if global agricultural soils increased their carbon stock by just 0.4% annually, they could offset nearly all annual greenhouse gas emissions. Soil contains double the amount of carbon compared to all the trees and plants on Earth. However, only healthy soils can store carbon, while degraded soils release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
A new report indicates that soils store over 2,800 gigatons of carbon in the top meter, a significant increase from previous estimates of 1,500 gigatons. This means that soils store 45% more carbon than previously thought.
The report, issued by the Soil Security Research Center in Aurora, the Global Environmental Law Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Save Soil Campaign, found that 27% of the carbon emissions needed to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius could be captured in soils, provided they are in good condition.
This equates to approximately 3.38 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually. For comparison, global fossil fuel emissions in 2022 were about 36.8 gigatons.
The economic value of soil ecosystem services is estimated at over $11 trillion annually, with every dollar invested in soil restoration yielding up to $30 in economic returns, according to the report.
However, only 30% of countries include soil restoration as a solution for mitigating climate change in their Nationally Determined Contributions for the 30th Conference of the Parties, which are the national climate plans mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement.
Praveena Sreedhar, the technical director of the Save Soil Movement and co-author of the report, states, “If we want to achieve our emission targets, we must view soil as a living entity.”
Not Just Dirt
For a long time, soil has been regarded merely as dirt. However, it is the living skin of the planet, and every handful of healthy, living soil represents a miniature model of life and a reservoir of carbon and water.
Sreedhar emphasizes that ensuring soil health is not just an environmental duty but a “responsibility to future generations,” and a crucial issue for mitigating the impacts of climate change.
The report indicates that current rates of soil degradation threaten to release massive carbon reservoirs into the atmosphere, potentially releasing up to 4.81 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year, nearly equivalent to the annual emissions of the United States.
While 40% of the planet’s land is already degraded, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicts this figure could rise to 90% by 2050.
The report warns that current carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. soils alone are equivalent to the emissions of about 75 million cars. If just 1% of the carbon in European soils were released, it would equal the annual emissions of a billion cars.
Soil degradation is often attributed to unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and intensive farming, but it can also be caused by natural factors such as soil erosion from wind and rain.
The report suggests that adopting sustainable agricultural practices, such as crop rotation and cover cropping, which add organic matter to the soil and improve its structure, helps maintain soil health while avoiding chemicals.
Dr. Erin Hosier from the Global Soil Protection and Restoration Center of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Sustainable Agriculture Law Group states, “Without specific goals for soil protection and restoration, countries rarely prioritize it in their climate laws.”
There is currently no comprehensive international treaty or any other binding legal instrument regarding soil security, necessitating concerted efforts from policymakers, farmers, businesses, consumers, and others to enhance soil security for future generations, including its health.
Historically, soil has been undervalued, often seen merely as dirt. However, it plays a critical role in the ecosystem, acting as a living layer that supports life and stores carbon and water. Current degradation rates threaten to release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. Sustainable agricultural practices are essential to restore soil health and mitigate these risks, emphasizing the need for global awareness and action.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization warns that 40% of the world’s land is already degraded, with projections suggesting this could rise to 90% by 2050.
