The use of soil to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere

Rattan Lal:

●   Claims that 13% of CO2 in the atmosphere could be absorbed by agricultural soils

●   Erosion is more likely in soil that is

●   Lai found soil in Africa that was very 

●   It was suggested that carbon from soil was entering the atmosphere

Soil and carbon:

●   plants turn CO2 from the air into carbon-based substances such as 

●   some CO2 moves from the  of plants to microbes in the soil

●   carbon was lost from the soil when agriculture was invented

Regenerative agriculture:

●   uses established practices to make sure soil remains fertile and 

●   e.g. through year-round planting and increasing the  of plants that are grown

California study:

●   taking place on a big  farm

●   uses compost made from waste from agriculture and 

Australia study:

●   aims to increase soil carbon by using  that are always green

Future developments may include:

●   reducing the amount of fertilizer used in farming

●   giving farmers  for carbon storage, as well as their produce