Relying on soil-based carbon capture to offset livestock emissions

The document argues that relying on soil carbon sequestration to offset livestock emissions is risky due to finite storage capacity, the reversibility of carbon storage, and the significant warming potential of methane and nitrous oxide, which can outweigh sequestration gains.

• Regenerative grazing, such as adaptive multi-paddock grazing, is proposed to improve soil carbon stocks, with some estimates suggesting improved grazing management could sequester approximately 63 gigatons of carbon in vegetation and soils globally.
• The potential for soil carbon sequestration to offset livestock emissions is likely overestimated because the capacity for soil to store carbon is finite, following a sigmoid curve that plateaus as it reaches a new steady state, typically within five years on average.
• Soil carbon storage is impermanent and reversible; disturbances like fires, floods, and climate-driven permafrost thaw can release stored carbon. Moderate global warming could decrease potential storage capacity by 14% by 2040.
• When accounting for the warming potential of methane and nitrous oxide from ruminants, soil sequestration is insufficient. An estimated 135 gigatonnes of carbon would need to be sequestered to offset these emissions, which is more than double the estimated sequestration potential of improved grazing.
• The effectiveness of grazing projects is highly context-dependent, varying by climate, soil type, grazer species, and vegetation, making it difficult to generalise findings for climate policy.
• Soil carbon markets and 'carbon farming' credits are deemed unsuitable for climate mitigation due to uncertainties regarding permanence, monitoring, and accounting.
• While limited as a primary offset strategy, soil carbon management provides significant co-benefits, including improved soil health, erosion control, increased water availability, and better outcomes for farmer incomes and yields.

APA

Team, Z. (2024). Relying on soil-based carbon capture to offset livestock emissions. Zero Carbon Analytics. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/relying-on-soil-based-carbon-capture-to-offset-livestock-emissions/

Chicago

Team, ZCA. Relying on soil-based carbon capture to offset livestock emissions. Zero Carbon Analytics, 2024. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/relying-on-soil-based-carbon-capture-to-offset-livestock-emissions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=ZCA |title=Relying on soil-based carbon capture to offset livestock emissions |publisher=Zero Carbon Analytics |date=5 June 2024 |url=https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/relying-on-soil-based-carbon-capture-to-offset-livestock-emissions/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2024relying, author = {Team, ZCA}, title = {{Relying on soil-based carbon capture to offset livestock emissions}}, institution = {Zero Carbon Analytics}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/relying-on-soil-based-carbon-capture-to-offset-livestock-emissions/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }