Revolutionizing Agriculture: Turning Carbon Emissions into Captured Carbon

The global food system significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, thereby making emission reduction in this sector crucial for policymakers worldwide. IIASA researchers have investigated the promise of carbon sequestration in agricultural areas as a strategy against climate change, providing valuable information on both its economic impacts and its capacity to mitigate climate-related issues.

Carbon sequestration in farming involves capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere within the soil and plants on farms. A new study by IIASA published in Nature Food suggests that these methods could greatly help in lowering global warming and decreasing overall economic mitigation costs.

Lead author Stefan Frank, a senior researcher in the Integrated Biosphere Futures Research Group of IIASA’s Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program, states, “Our research aimed to evaluate innovative carbon sequestration strategies on farmland within an economic framework. Until now, these strategies had only been explored through engineering studies and had not been integrated into climate stabilization pathways supported by Integrated Assessment Models that inform the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).” He added, “Given the connections between different mitigation methods, economic sectors, and global regions, comprehensive economic evaluations like ours can shed light on the overall effects of these options.”

Farmers can utilize methods such as planting cover crops, applying biochar (charcoal produced from organic waste), or engaging in agroforestry (growing trees alongside crops or livestock) to absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it in the earth or plants on their fields, thus transforming their farmland into a carbon sink.

So, why is this important? Findings from the study suggest that by 2050, these farming practices could cut greenhouse gas emissions comparable to planting new forests, especially in areas like sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Carbon sequestration in agriculture is vital not only for efforts to combat climate change but also for boosting agricultural productivity and resilience, potentially allowing the agriculture, forestry, and land use sectors to reach net zero emissions globally by 2050, with costs ranging from US$80 to $120 per ton of CO₂ equivalent.

Co-author Andrey Lessa Derci Augustynczik, a researcher with the same IIASA program, commented, “By adopting these strategies, overall emission reduction costs could be lower than in a 1.5°C scenario that lacks agricultural carbon sequestration. It might also prevent a 0.6% dip in global economic output by mid-century within a climate stabilization framework aimed at capping warming at 1.5°C.” He also mentioned that farmers may gain significant earnings from these efforts, possibly up to $235 billion by 2050, if they receive financial rewards for each additional ton of CO₂ sequestered in soils and biomass at an anticipated greenhouse gas price of $160 per ton of CO₂ equivalent by 2050.

The authors emphasize that realizing these changes necessitates robust institutions and global monitoring systems to ensure that farmers correctly implement these practices and receive fair compensation for their contributions.

Frank concludes, “Despite the substantial potential for carbon sequestration at relatively low costs, most opportunities are located in the Global South, which poses risks due to various structural, institutional, or social challenges. To tap into these potentials and significantly contribute to ambitious climate stabilization goals, efficient institutions and monitoring systems need to be established quickly along with swift implementation of necessary policy incentives.”