Farmers, ranchers and foresters know very well the value of soil carbon for the health and water holding capacity of their soil. But economic barriers limit adoption of practices that build soil carbon. No-till equipment is costly, and cover crops donât generate revenue.
Fortunately, soil carbon also has an economic value beyond its impact on crop productivity. A ton of carbon added to the soil is a ton of carbon pulled out of the atmosphere, where it acts as a greenhouse gas, warming the planet and causing economic disruption.
For carbon emitters concerned about or required to mitigate climate change, it costs less to pay another party to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it than to invest in reducing the carbon they emit. The demand for such carbon credits from companies and individuals is growing rapidly as they pledge to become ânet-zeroâ emitters and reduce their carbon footprint. Globally, the number of carbon credits produced by forestry and