Could Soil be the Solution to Climate Change?
The internationally agreed goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels is now almost certainly out of reach. Christoph Bertram at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research in Germany explained,
“1.5 degrees without overshoot is not attainable. You definitely therefore need to prepare for one tenth, or multiple tenths, of a degree beyond that target.”
The current best case scenario is now 1.6 degrees and we must try and halt it there. The hope would be to bring this back down to 1.5 degrees later in this century using technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Until then we must look to the major contributors of greenhouse gases (GHG) and try our best to reduce these.
Approximately a third of all GHG emissions are linked to food production. The largest proportion of these come from agriculture and land use, in particular from beef production and from clearing land for new pastures, which releases carbon previously stored in vegetation and soils. This adds up to around 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, with land use and GHG emissions 7 times higher than chicken and 20 times higher than beans per gram of protein.
Reducing meat consumption is the obvious answer. According to the USDA, the average American eats around 26 kg of beef per year. This equates to 500g per week, roughly 2 large steaks. Even cutting this in half would generate a huge positive impact on the environment. Combine this with reduction in other animal foods, such as poultry and seafood and we will make huge inroads in preventing warming above 1.6 degrees.
Focusing on improving beef production will play a key significant role in reaching our climate goals. Key considerations are soil health, water and biodiversity. At the current rate of soil erosion we only have around 60 harvests left before our soil is too depleted to grow food. 75% of the world’s fresh water, that is used by humans, is used for intensive methods of crop and livestock production, depleting it faster than it is being replenished. Pollinators contribute to 75% of successful agriculture and they are being wiped out by pesticides.
The solution to resolve these effects lie in healing the health of the soil. Soil is a living complex and efficient ecosystem operating at a tiny scale. Worms, insects, bacteria, fungi and microorganisms, along with organic matter from plants and animals work in harmony. This fertile soil can absorb and retain carbon from the atmosphere. These organisms, along with the minerals in the soil, enable plants to put down deeper roots and take in even more carbon. The resulting crop is significantly more nutritious for the people that eat them, which in turn translates to better human health outcomes. Healthy soil will hold on to more water, limiting the effects of drought and reducing floods. Without this biodiversity soil is just dead dirt that requires extra nutrients, water, fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides to grow anything. The production of fertilisers contributes to climate change. Once in the soil, the nitrogen in the fertilisers is turned into nitrous oxide by the bacteria. This is released into the air and has 300 times the heat trapping potential of carbon dioxide. A vicious cycle ensues as the fertilisers depletes the soil of organic matter, requiring yet more fertilisers.
We have lost one third of the world’s available farmland to soil erosion! In some areas of the midwest of the USA 60-80 feet of topsoil has been lost and it is predicted that the USA will run out of soil by the end of this century. In Europe, it is estimated that there are about 75 billion tonnes of carbon in the topsoil layer alone – equivalent to 275 billion tonnes of CO2, making it a huge reservoir of carbon. Given that the EU’s annual emissions of CO2 are just over 4 billion tonnes, releasing even a tiny fraction of the carbon in the soil into the atmosphere would have a significant effect on efforts to fight climate change. For example, a release of just 0.1% of the carbon now contained in Europe’s soils would be equal to the annual emissions from 100 million cars!
Soil degradation is caused by livestock overgrazing, poor livestock management, deforestation, urbanisation, industrialised agriculture, over fertilising, monocrop agriculture, tilling, bad crop rotation, leaving bare ground and not using cover crops.
Nature’s solution to this problem is photosynthesis and animals. Plants take carbon dioxide and water and convert them into carbohydrates that we can eat. The bacteria in the soil also feed on them and produce nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals to feed the plants. This is the foundation of regenerative agriculture. Methods use cover crops to protect the ground, no tilling so that soil structure is maintained, crop rotations that keep pests and weeds under control. Livestock can be used tactically to stimulate plant growth with their manure, urine and saliva and with their hooves that break up the surface, allowing their bodily fluids to penetrate deeper into the soil. These techniques, known as mob grazing, mimic the movement of roaming cattle in pre agricultural times. This short duration, high density grazing with a longer than usual grass recovery period, allows plants to photosynthesise efficiently and perpetuate the natural carbon cycle and maintain the ecosystem. This has the potential to absorb a huge percentage, if not all, of the carbon released into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. The result is hugely improved soil, healthier cattle and lower costs. Mob grazing is an efficient system that creates huge savings on food, fuel and labour. Regenerative farms produce meat that is nutritious and delicious, while supporting the soil, biodiversity and animal welfare. Buying their meat can finance their growth and further their efforts against climate change. That way you can have your steak and eat it!
According to UN climate scientists, it would cost just 300 billion dollars to restore 2.2 billion acres of degraded soil with regenerative agriculture. This would delay the rise of climate change by around 20 years, giving us more time to devise other solutions. This is just one solution to a huge multifactorial issue that must be looked at holistically. A systemic approach needs to be taken, encompassing all aspects for long term success.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for more insights into global warming solutions and how you can contribute to the fight against climate change.
