Boosting crops and soil whilst permanently locking up CO₂ with UNDO
Context
Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is vital for limiting global warming to 1.5ºC. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities need to be actively removing 10 Gigatonnes of atmospheric CO2 annually by the year 2050 in order to have a chance at meeting this warming target set by the Paris Climate Accords. Recent research using large-scale models shows that in the UK alone, enhanced rock weathering has the potential to remove up to 30 million tonnes of CO₂ per year – enough to address 45% of the UK’s annual emissions. ERW and other promising, high permanence carbon removal methods must complement deep decarbonisation efforts.
For millions of years, CO₂ has combined with rainwater to form carbonic acid. When this dilute acid falls on mountains, forests and grassland, the CO₂ interacts with rocks and soil, mineralises and is safely stored as solid carbon for hundreds of thousands of years. This natural weathering process is accelerated by spreading crushed silicate rock such as basalt on agricultural land, vastly increasing the surface area of the rock and therefore increasing its contact with CO₂.
The crushed silicate rock that is spread is full of macro and micronutrients that slowly enriches the soil as it weathers. Acting as a soil enhancer, landowners can expect to see stabilised soil pH, increased crop yield and increased pest resistance over time as a result of spreading the material.
Project
Ecologi is currently supporting UNDO’s UK projects, which focus on delivering operations with farmers in the north of England and Scotland.
UNDO spreads its carbon-removing silicate rock on partner farmers’ land free of charge. To date, they have spread 170k tonnes of basalt on 163 farms, totalling 8.6k hectares. This equates to approximately 30k tonnes of projected carbon removal. In 2024 and beyond, UNDO will continue to build its network of UK farmers as operations expand.
Alongside carbon removal, UNDO is helping to deliver co-benefits such as:
- Releasing minerals such as magnesium and calcium which improve soil fertility, pest resistance and crop yield
- Raising soil pH for farmers, increasing nutrient uptake in crops
- Potentially reducing lime and fertiliser costs for farmers
- Helping support global food security
- Creating green jobs and engaging with rural farming communities in the fight against climate change
- Supporting ocean deacidification and the formation of shells for marine creatures
ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
UNDO is a leading carbon removal project on a mission to permanently remove 1 billion tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere. UNDO’s vision is to maintain a liveable planet for future generations.
From their early days as part of The Future Forest Company, carrying out trials in Scotland, UNDO’s operations now span three continents. They work closely with agricultural partners in Canada, Australia, and the UK to deliver operations that benefit the local farming community, not only removing carbon but also helping to enhance soil health and crop growth.
UNDO’s business is grounded in science, with its Science, Research and Innovation Team at the forefront of advancing ERW measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) techniques for one of the carbon removal technologies with the greatest global sequestration potential.
In June 2024 some of our team headed up to Stirling, Scotland, to find out more about the process behind enhanced rock weathering, as well as UNDO’s mission to remove 1 billion tonnes of CO2.
Verification
This project is on its way to getting verified by the Puro. Read more about Enhanced Rock Weathering here.
Climate solution
Enhanced rock weathering
Alongside reducing global emissions, the permanent removal of CO2 from the atmosphere is one of the key challenges we face as a society to prevent the most severe impact of climate change. Many projects Ecologi supports lock up CO2, such as the millions of trees we’re helping plant across the planet. There is also a range of different approaches being developed that can permanently store carbon dioxide for thousands of years, such as UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering projects.
Enhanced rock weathering is the acceleration of a natural carbon removal process, which sees crushed silicate rock such as basalt spread on local agricultural land. When the rock comes into contact with rainwater, it is slowly dissolved, locking up the CO2 from the atmosphere as a solid bicarbonate, whilst safely releasing nutrients and minerals into the soil to help the farmer improve soil and crop health. It’s a real win-win carbon removal technology.
Photos
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The '' project aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. We can provide nutritious food for all.
Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.
Read more about the Sustainable Development Goals