Climate mitigation approaches in agriculture such as carbon sequestration in soils and emissions reductions practices offer “considerable potential”, according to a European Union report, but uncertainties need to be addressed in order to maximise their impact.
Accurate monitoring and verification, as well as the impermanence of carbon stored in soils, are the two key areas of uncertainty, according to the report’s authors, who note that different methodologies used in research to date make estimating the possible effects of change difficult. They also warn against ‘carbon farming’ being used of a way of mitigating emissions and thereby reducing climate ambitions elsewhere in the economy.
Lots of options, lots of unknowns
The report covers the number of carbon farming options available, from managing peatlands and agroforestry to enhancing organic carbon in soil. Co-benefits of actions by farmers are highlighted, such as improved soils leading to greater productivity.
But to ensure carbon farming’s potential is not overstated and benefits are not lost further down the line, acknowledging and managing risks is necessary, the authors stress.
New methods of monitoring are urged, taking account of all greenhouse gases and carbon stores, while considering potential leakage – where an emissions-reducing activity on one farm leads to an increase elsewhere. Giving farmers the knowledge and tools to participate fully in this monitoring is also needed, they say.
Financing a priority shift
There are a several financial mechanisms which could be used to incentivise change on European farmland, with the report noting that the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy has had a limited impact on agricultural emissions to date. Flexibility allows EU member nations to create their own policies in this area, however.
Payments within supply chains offer one possible route to do support farmers, but require transparency and the use of valid methodologies to guard against ‘greenwashing’. Voluntary carbon markets are also an option for private financing of carbon farming. However, this demands a high level of monitoring and verification.
Policy to unlock potential
Despite the need for further clarification, “promoting the widescale implementation of agricultural climate mitigation should be a European priority,” the authors conclude.
Policy recommendations include making the avoidance and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on farms the main priority, setting a quantified emissions reduction target for agriculture and developing a “robust, transparent and science-based certification system for carbon removals.” On the latter, the EU intends to publish a certification framework later in 2022.
They add that while some changes can be made while maintaining today’s farming practises, wider systemic change will be in some cases necessary. This will need to go hand-in-hand with consumer behavioural change, such as a reduction in red meat consumption and reduced food waste.
