Greenhouse gas removal is vital tool to help meet climate targets - report

Peatland research site, Aberystwyth University

Peatland restoration and growing biomass crops to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere can help achieve net zero targets, according to a new scientific report.

The report says that on top of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, measures are needed to take them out of the atmosphere.

There are a wide range of options to do this, from planting trees to more novel methods, like enhanced rock weathering, when silicate rocks are spread on farmland and react with CO₂ in the atmosphere to form bicarbonate ions.

The team of scientists, including experts from Aberystwyth University, also say that the methods have wider benefits, such as providing income for farmers from less productive land and reducing flood risks by re-wetting peat.

According to the report’s recommendations, technical trials have shown 'promising results' from using more than one technique in the same spot, for example incorporating biochar when restoring peat.

Among the report's other calls is to establish a clear regulatory framework so that farmers and industry can make the most of the techniques. The experts also advise that public-private joint ventures would drive investment and the scaling up of the techniques.

Dr Judith Thornton from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University said:

“Greenhouse gas removal has become an essential part of global and national strategies to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals. This includes the UK’s strategy to meet medium-term carbon budgets and the net-zero target by 2050.

“While there are remaining uncertainties and knowledge gaps, this report demonstrates that employing methods of greenhouse gas removal in the UK can successfully contribute to achieving net zero goals, and the potential for scaling up sustainable removal methods in the future.

“Although these measures are not a substitute for emissions reductions, they are very likely to be needed to balance emissions that are hard to reduce to zero - from sectors such as agriculture and aviation.”

The research is funded by UK Research and Innovation. The report was written by academics from the institutions involved in five demonstrator projects and the coordinating hub.

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