Enhanced Weathering
Enhanced weathering (EW) is a promising natural solution for durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that builds on the longstanding practice of applying crushed rock (such as limestone) to agricultural lands to mitigate soil acidification. EW uses the same method to accelerate the Earth’s natural geologic carbon cycle by spreading finely ground alkaline material (e.g. silicate rock such as basalt) over agricultural fields. In addition to reducing soil acidification, the crushed rock reacts with CO2 in soils to form stable bicarbonate ions that are eventually stored in the ocean for millennia.
EW takes advantage of infrastructure and supply chains from mining and agriculture to offer great potential for deployability, scale, and low cost – along with the potential to deliver substantial co-benefits to farmers, agriculture, and ecosystems. Some open questions remain about EW’s CDR efficacy across varying deployment contexts; monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV); and potential negative impacts to food systems and ecosystems. Scientists at the YCNCC are actively advancing research to address these questions, as well as proactively engaging with the EW startup ecosystem, the mining and agriculture sectors, and corporate CDR buyers. EW remains a core YCNCC priority, wherein the Center is delivering substantial real-world climate impact.
