The secret to tackling the climate crisis could be right under our feet. Here’s why

 The secret to tackling the climate crisis could be right under our feet. Here’s why

Despite being one of the largest natural carbon sinks, most nations exclude soil from their climate plans.

The key to meeting global climate targets may have been right beneath our feet this entire time.

As COP30 enters its final week of negotiations, pressure to transition from fossil fuels, bolster renewable energy and even remove meat from our diets has reached an all-time high.

The EU Commission says it is using the annual event to push the international community to “strive for bolder action” to cut emissions and adapt to the impact of the climate crisis.

But, to meet the Paris Agreement and stop global temperatures from exceeding 2℃, and preferably to 1.5℃, leaders are being urged to look to the planet’s "quiet infrastructure”: soil.

Soil could cut emissions by 27 per cent

A report released today found that soils store more than 2,800 gigatonnes of carbon in the top one metre.

This is a stark increase compared to earlier estimates of 1,500 gigatonnes, meaning soils store 45 per cent more carbon than we previously thought.

The report, from Aroura Soil Security Think Tank, the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), and the Save Soil campaign, also found that 27 per cent of carbon emissions needed to keep global warming below 2℃ can be sequestered in soils (providing they’re in good condition).

‘A living entity’

“If we want to meet our emissions targets, we must consider soil as a living entity,” says Praveena Sridhar, CTO of the Save Soil movement and co-author of the report.

“For too long, soil has been treated as dirt. However, it is the living skin of the planet. Every handful of healthy, living soil is a microcosm of life and a storehouse of carbon and water.”

Sridhar argues that securing soil health is not just an environmental duty but a “generational responsibility” that is essential to climate change mitigation.

The cost of degraded soil

Current rates of degradation risk huge carbon reservoirs in soils being released into the atmosphere to the tune of 4.81 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year - approximately the same annual emissions of the US.

While 40 per cent of Earth’s land is already degraded, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation predicts this could climb to 90 per cent by 2050.

The report warns that current CO₂ emissions from US soils alone equate to around 75 million cars. If just one per cent of the carbon in Europe’s soils were to be released, it would be equivalent to the annual emissions of one billion cars.

How to stop soil degradation

Soil degradation is often the fault of unsustainable farming practices, deforestation, overgrazing and intensive agriculture. It can also be caused by natural factors such as soil erosion from wind and rain.

Using sustainable farming practices like crop rotation and cover crops (which add organic matter to the soil and improve its structure) can help soil remain healthy. On a smaller scale, opting to add compost to your garden and avoiding chemicals can also prevent degradation.

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