The Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture (YCNCC) is working to combat climate change by studying the use of soil as a carbon sink. The center notes that healthy soil absorbs and stores more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases. Researchers are testing a method called enhanced rock weathering (ERW), which involves applying finely ground basalt to croplands to raise soil pH, increase crop yields, and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers. ERW has multiple co-benefits, including the potential for new revenue streams for farmers through carbon credits. The US Midwest alone has the potential to sequester 1.5-2 million tons of CO2 annually. The YCNCC is working to understand the economic and environmental impacts of ERW on local communities. FedEx Corporation, a supporter of the YCNCC, is committed to achieving carbon neutral operations by 2040 and is funding research into natural solutions for carbon capture. The company’s goal is to decarbonize what’s possible, co-create with purpose, and neutralize what’s left.
Soil Strong: Harnessing the World’s Most Underappreciated Resource
