Soil carbon sequestration by agriculture
Policy options
Net soil carbon sequestration on agricultural lands could offset 4% of annual global
human-induced GHG emissions over the rest of the century and make an important contribution
to meeting the targets of the Paris Agreement. To harness this potential of the agricultural
sector to positively contribute to the sustainability agenda, a package of policies
is needed to enhance global soil carbon stocks. Such a package would include regulations
to prevent the loss of soil carbon, knowledge transfer policies to promote “win-win”
solutions, and additional incentives delivered via market-based policies. The latter
will need to be supported by innovative contracting solutions to address concerns
about the non-permanence of carbon stocks and to reduce transaction costs.
Published on January 24, 2022
In series:OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papersview more titles