Can carbon farming help us reach net zero by 2050?

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Can carbon farming help us reach net zero by 2050?
Thanks for asking.
Reaching carbon net zero by 2050 is one of the main objectives in the struggle against global warming. It's also part of the Green New Deal that EU agreed upon in 2019 Since the start of 2022, many figures in agriculture have been pushing for a carbon farming policy, which would see farmers rewarded for their efforts in sequestering carbon. How does that work? It's about using agricultural fields to store CO2 in the ground. Plants first absorb it from the air through a process called photosynthesis. Then their roots and other parts decompose, being converted into soil carbon by microbes. Soil is in fact the second largest type of carbon sink on earth, after the oceans and ahead of forests. The aim is to sequester carbon more quickly. That leads to greater organic content in the ground, allowing for better water retention and a reduction in the use of fertilizers. A number of steps are required according to experts. Some crops work better like plant proteins in particular. There's a lot of technical jargon to consider, but some techniques for optimizing the capturing process include using compost, agroforest implantations, hay development and permanent prairies. Why is agriculture in particular concerned by the net zero target? 85% of the sector's emissions come from methane and nitrogen monoxide combined, with 13% coming from CO2. Authorities are counting on three ways of cutting them down. Managing cultivated lands, adapting livestock management and reducing energy consumption. Interestingly, the agricultural and forest sectors both emit and capture CO2. 430 million tonnes of CO2 emissions can be attributed to the agriculture sector in Europe, as can 10% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to cut CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050
What is expected at a European level? Agriculture ministers from member states met in Strasbourg at the start of 2022 to come up with a long term common project. France currently holds the EU presidency and put forward its carbon credits system, which has been in place since 2019 That sees one credit scored for every tonne of CO2 reduced or sequestered through carbon farming. The state refunds investments in carbon farming practices. The European Commission came to an agreement which will see a real carbon farming market emerge at a European level. It's expected to present a proposed regulatory framework by the end of the year.
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