“Removal of Atmospheric CO2 by Rock Weathering Holds Promise for Mitigating Climate Change: Large-Scale Removal of Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere Might Be Achieved through Enhanced Rock Weathering. It Now Seems That This Approach Is As Promising As Other Strategies, in Terms of Cost and CO2-Removal Potential”, 2020-07-08 (; backlinks; similar):
…Despite the enthusiasm the authors’ findings might generate, it is crucial to stress that, even under optimistic assumptions, enhanced rock weathering will sequester only some of the annual global carbon emissions from fossil-fuel use. Therefore, reducing these emissions should still be the top priority for averting dangerous climate change. But, as Beerling et al note, any approach is insufficient alone, and should be considered as part of a portfolio of options.
…Fertilizer distribution networks are common in many parts of the world. But even where these networks are in place, success in the adoption of enhanced rock weathering might not rely on its crop-production benefits alone. We posit that carbon markets are required, and that it would be helpful if they incentivized socially and environmentally sound implementation10. For technologies to be eligible, it must be shown that they provide extra incentives for adoption (additionality), beyond what increased soil fertility would deliver. We emphasize that implementation of enhanced rock weathering and other soil-based carbon sequestration must consider equitable and financially sound incentives for farmers that overcome challenges of additionality, among others10, in a proactive way.
Consequently, the main lesson here might be that several of the major potential technologies for removing atmospheric CO2 could generate substantial benefits for food production, and are centred around managing soils. Farmers must be fully behind such a global effort or it will fail. Scientists might need to recognize that climate-change mitigation is not a sufficient incentive on its own, and that benefits to crop growth will need to be prioritized, as will financial incentives. Such an approach of financially supporting soil health and crop production could emerge as our best near-term solution to the problem of removing CO2 from the atmosphere.