Increasing carbon storage in the soil

Soils store carbon in humus and inorganic form. This natural storage could be enhanced for climate mitigation purposes. However, CDRterra research results show that this would require fundamental changes in agricultural policy and practice, as German agricultural land currently loses more soil carbon than it stores. Yet the courage to change would pay off twice as much: The CO₂ removal methods of enhanced weathering, pyrolysis of biomass and “carbon farming” not only increase the carbon content of the soil. They also have many other advantages: For example, they can help agriculture to prepare for increasing weather extremes as a result of climate change and generally strengthen soil health.

The new CDRterra factsheet “Die Kohlenstoffspeicherung unserer Böden steigern” explains the potential, technical development status and advantages and disadvantages of these CO₂ removal methods.

The factsheet “Kohlendioxidentnahmeverfahren an Land – wie sie funktionieren und warum wir sie brauchen, um unsere Klimaziele zu erreichen” provides a general overview of CO₂ removal methods.

You can find out more about the feasibility, potential and risks of new chemical-technical CDR methods in the factsheet “Neue technische Verfahren zur CO₂-Entnahme aus der Atmosphäre”.

Information on biological CDR methods can be found in the factsheet “Mit der Kraft der Pflanzen: Biologische Verfahren zur CO₂-Entnahme aus der Atmosphäre”.

Download the factsheet “Die Kohlenstoffspeicherung unserer Böden steigern” on Zenodo