BriCASFR

In soil carbon sequestration, carbon dioxide is drawn down from the atmosphere via photosynthesis. And the carbon component is sequestered, or stored, in soils.

Further, soil carbon sequestration has the potential to significantly offset annual greenhouse gas emissions. 

Hence, soil carbon sequestration and carbon offsets serve as a climate mitigation tool.

In addition, storing carbon in soils can potentially generate income for farmers. Carbon markets need to be first established for issuing carbon credits. 

And Regulations may apply. Carbon markets typically require initiatives to meet key criteria, such as: Real, Quantifiable, Verifiable, Additional, Unique, Incremental to other initiatives, and address permanence & leakage).

In review, soil carbon sequestration is an affordable and globally scalable solution to help mitigate climate change. It also has the potential to improve soil health and generate revenue for farmers using carbon markets.

Maintaining long-term soil carbon storage – referred to as permanence is key.

One example of a major global soil carbon sequestration initiative pay farmers is being carried by Indigo Ag.

Indigo Ag’s Terraton Initiative project aims to sequester 1 Trillion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere and through carbon markets pay farmers for each tonne sequestered.

However, further research is needed to better understand its full potential of additionality and permanence.