Role of soil in climate change highlighted

The International Forum on Soils, Society and Climate Change, a title you wouldn’t have imagined a few years ago, attempts to raise our awareness of soil erosion and the impact it has on the environment.

Every year, some 100,000 square kilometres of land loses its vegetation and becomes degraded or turns into desert.  In addition, soil is degraded by the use of unnatural herbicides and pesticides which reduce the natural bio-cycles of the soil habitat.

Degraded soil not only impacts food production but also reduces the ability of soil to hold water, thus increasing the tendency to flood, and reduces soil’s ability to retain carbon.  Degradation is responsible for up to 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas releases, according to Ohio State University. Soil degradation  also alters temperature and energy balance of the planet.

The principal solutions are to increase natural farming methods and move away from industrial agriculture, and to halt deforestation and replace it with sustainable forestry.

Looking forward as much as 20% of anticipated net fossil fuel emissions between now and 2050 could be stored by sequestering or storing carbon in the soil and vegetation according to the U.N. Development Programme.

These concerns are highlighted by the recent and sudden interest in primary biofuels which may be produced by industrial agriculture.

Eat naturally grown, local food, and less meat, to make a real difference.

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