V. S. Stolbovoy
Federal Research Center Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, Pyzhevskii per., 7, Moskva, 119017, Russian Federation
Abstract. he use of soils in agriculture, including ploughing, harvesting plant feed, cattle grazing, etc. leads to the degradation/dehumification of organic matter. This results in the formation of carbon dioxide (CO2), which causes climate warming. According to the latest data from the International Organization for Climate Change, CO2 emissions from agriculture and forestry, together with other types of land use, account for 23% of the total anthropogenic emissions. The use of regenerative technologies aimed at restoring the carbon content in agricultural soils will reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere by 50–100 GtC (gigatons of carbon) by 2100–2150. Carbon stocks in Russian soils are about 373 GtC. Even small changes to this huge reservoir can have global consequences. The use of regenerative technologies in agriculture can sequester almost 2.2 GtC, which is about 8808 million tons of CO2-eq (carbon dioxide equivalent). The Russian arable soils (about 80 million hectares) can potentially absorb about 80.6–112.8 million tC per year. Totally, Russian soils annually absorb (owing to regenerative technologies and natural dynamics) about 160–190 million tons, or 25–30% of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere. For Russia, it is expedient to use arable soils to reduce climate change. Regenerative agriculture has a double (win-to-win) benefit, solving simultaneously two tasks: it facilitates the development of sustainable agricultural production, formation of healthy soils, transition to organic farming, production of environmentally friendly products, etc. and it mitigates climate changes.
Keywords: healthy soils; regenerative agriculture; 4 per mille; climate changes.
Author Details: V. S. Stolbovoy, D. Sc. (Geogr.), head of division (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.).
For citation: Stolbovoy VS. [Regenerative agriculture and climate change reduction]. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2020;34(7):19-26. Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10703.