Scientists have discovered enhanced weathering of rock could counter man-made fossil fuel CO2 emissions and help to protect our oceans
An international team, led by researchers from the University of Sheffield, found that speeding up the naturally occurring process of the weathering of rock to draw CO2 out of the atmosphere could help to significantly stabilise the climate and avert ocean acidification caused by humans burning fossil fuels.
This is the first time the large-scale effects of weathering by vegetation, roots and symbiotic microbes have been investigated using a complex modelling approach to find out how to accelerate the Earth’s natural CO2 removal system to counter-act anthropogenic CO2 emissions and ocean acidification.
Weathering occurs when rainwater comes into contact with rocks under warm conditions causing the rock to breakdown chemically. This process converts CO2 to bicarbonate, a natural neutraliser, which eventually drains away via rivers to the oceans. Plants enhance this further by acidifying the soil particles around their roots. It helps if the surface of the rock particles is large such as in silicate rock like volcanic rock basalt.
Dr Lyla Taylor, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, said: “Phasing down fossil fuel emissions remains a top priority but we also need to better understand potential strategies for safely removing atmospheric CO2 to avert dangerous climate change.”
“We have shown that, in principle, rock weathering could indeed draw down atmospheric CO2 and could benefit coral reefs in the ocean.
“The simulations we ran were idealised as they covered some of the world’s most ecologically sensitive terrestrial environments, however our evidence shows that the enhanced weathering strategy is definitely worth investigating further as it could play a significant role in offsetting the damage we are doing to the environment.”
Ocean acidification is caused by the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere which leads to an ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans and has a range of possible harmful consequences including coral bleaching which leaves the organism vulnerable to disease.
The United Nations estimates ocean acidification could cost the global economy one trillion US dollars a year by 2100.
Lead author of the study, Professor David Beerling, also from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, said: “This study is important because deploying strategies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere are strongly embedded in climate stabilisation policies but don’t yet exist.
“With the UN Climate Change Conference still at the forefront of everyone’s mind it is vital that we investigate the safety, effectiveness and benefits of methods such as enhanced weathering so we know what our options are. Detailed theoretical modelling like this is a good place to start.”
Read more: Enhanced rock weathering could help counter fossil-fuel emissions and protect our oceans
The Latest on: Enhanced rock weathering
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Enhanced rock weathering” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Enhanced rock weathering
- North East farmers offered carbon capturing volcanic fertiliseron April 15, 2024 at 10:18 pm
Volcanic rock found in North East soil is being given to farmers in the hope of improving yields and environmental sustainability. It follows a Newcastle University study into basalt rock powder which ...
- North East farmers offered carbon capturing volcanic fertiliseron April 15, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Volcanic rock found in North East soil is being given to farmers in the hope of improving yields and environmental sustainability. It follows a Newcastle University study into basalt rock powder ...
- Why enhanced rock weathering promises carbon-capturing fields of dreamson April 12, 2024 at 4:43 am
ERW harnesses the natural process of rock weathering to sequester CO2 from the atmosphere and is a key enabler of global carbon capture ...
- Newcastle University Study Finds Enhanced Rock Weathering Results In Higher Crop Yields And Improved Crop Healthon April 9, 2024 at 8:05 am
(MENAFN- ForPressRelease) April 9th, 2024: Enhanced rock weathering - a nature-based carbon dioxide removal process that accelerates natural weathering - results in significantly higher first year ...
- Enhanced rock weathering results in higher crop yields and improved crop health, study showson April 8, 2024 at 7:32 am
Enhanced rock weathering—a nature-based carbon dioxide removal process that accelerates natural weathering—results in significantly higher first year crop yields, improved soil pH, and higher nutrient ...
- Biology newson April 6, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Enhanced rock weathering—a nature-based carbon dioxide removal process that accelerates natural weathering—results in significantly higher first year crop yields, improved soil pH, and higher ...
- CO2-capturing rock dust boosts crop yields by up to 16%on March 31, 2024 at 5:00 pm
At that time, scientists were analyzing the effectiveness of a technique known as enhanced rock weathering. In their natural state, rocks naturally absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide as they break ...
- Volcanic dust on crops soaks up carbon emissions and boosts yields, study findson March 28, 2024 at 12:00 am
And it has the added benefit of taking carbon out of the atmosphere in a process known as enhanced rock weathering. ‘It really makes a difference to carbon dioxide removal’ It is estimated ...
- The Carbon Business Council publishes its new Enhanced Rock Weathering primer, and the Enhanced Weathering Alliance launcheson March 27, 2024 at 10:16 am
The Carbon Business Council publishes its new Enhanced Rock Weathering primer, in tandem with the launch of the Enhanced Weathering Alliance. Our Director, Prof David Beerling, has advised on this ...
via Bing News