“Pulling Carbon from the Sky Is Necessary but Not Sufficient: Carbon Dioxide Removal Is Becoming a Serious Proposition. But It Is Not a Substitute for Aggressive Action to Cut Emissions”, 2020-07-08 (; backlinks; similar):
Could spreading basalt dust on farmers’ fields help to remove atmospheric carbon? A large multidisciplinary team of scientists is confident it could, and that doing so could boost crop yields and soil health at the same time…The team is also carrying out field trials in four countries—the only such trials yet. The authors have told Nature that preliminary results suggest the theory is holding up. The application of 20 tonnes of basalt dust to a half-hectare UK plot boosted CO2 removal by 40% compared with that seen on an untreated plot, and by 15% in another trial, which spread dust over oil-palm plantations in Malaysia. The early results also indicate that adding basalt boosted yields in these and other crops.
…But, like many promising technological fixes, spreading basalt dust across the world’s agricultural fields could prove more complicated than it first seems. Researchers must answer a host of pressing questions about the economic costs and environmental impacts. And there are potential questions for regulators, too.
…With the dangers of climate change becoming more apparent each year, countries must continue to pursue the aggressive action that will be required to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Carbon-removal technologies cannot be a substitute for such action. But it is becoming clear that if humanity is to limit global warming to 1.5–2 ℃ above pre-industrial levels, it must pursue every promising idea.