Articles
THE POTENTIAL FOR MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE WITH SOIL ORGANIC MATTER INCREASES IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Article number
1018_5
Pages
75 – 82
Language
English
Abstract
Soil carbon sequestration using current organic land management methods has the potential to mitigate a substantial proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions.
A published peer review study by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), found that organic farming practices remove 2,000 kg of carbon dioxide from the air each year and sequester it in a hectare of farmland.
There is compelling data that significantly higher levels of CO2 sequestration can be achieved.
The Rodale studies have demonstrated that good organic practices can sequester 3596.6 kg of CO2 per hectare year for around 30 years however when compost is added this increases to 8220.8 kg of CO2 per hectare year.
Other studies show that increasing the levels of soil carbon improves the resilience of farming systems to the increased frequency extreme weather events, such as droughts and heavy rains, that are linked to climate change.
A published peer review study by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), found that organic farming practices remove 2,000 kg of carbon dioxide from the air each year and sequester it in a hectare of farmland.
There is compelling data that significantly higher levels of CO2 sequestration can be achieved.
The Rodale studies have demonstrated that good organic practices can sequester 3596.6 kg of CO2 per hectare year for around 30 years however when compost is added this increases to 8220.8 kg of CO2 per hectare year.
Other studies show that increasing the levels of soil carbon improves the resilience of farming systems to the increased frequency extreme weather events, such as droughts and heavy rains, that are linked to climate change.
Authors
A. Leu
Keywords
soil carbon sequestration, organic agriculture, organic matter, carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases
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