Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) involves the application of finely crushed basalt rock to agricultural soils. This accelerates natural chemical processes that capture atmospheric CO2 while releasing essential nutrients, improving soil fertility and crop productivity.
EnSo Academic Partnerships
Trevor Rees, Managing Director of EnSo-Impact in the UK has been investigating the multiple benefits of ERW for some time and highlighted how “We were initially attracted to Enhanced Rock Weathering as a viable solution for a food security and landscape restoration project in Gujarat, India. Scientific studies, including detailed partner contributions from Noah Planavsky at Yale University and the Environmental Biology Biogeochemistry team at Newcastle University in the UK, have demonstrated its dual benefits, namely an increase in measurable soil carbon sequestration and enhanced agricultural outputs.”
Field trials demonstrate a 15-20% increase in yields while reducing dependency on synthetic fertilisers. By enhancing soil’s water retention capacity, ERW also has the capability to mitigate risks from flash floods, heat waves and drought.
CO2 Removal
“ERW is an innovative CO2 removal methodology that has great potential in addressing climate change, while simultaneously delivering benefits for poor farmers, “added Trevor. “However, until the benefits become more widely recognised, there can be resistance to adoption. Understandably, farmers can be cautious in adopting new practices and it can be extremely difficult to gain traction without addressing their concerns, including potential financial risk.”
Importance of MRV
Trevor stressed that “Rigorous field trials and Measurement, Recording and Verification (MRV) methodologies are key for any potential ERW project roll-out – investigating and analysing different soil types, crops and habitats, interrogating the mineralogy and chemistry of the basalt, along with any potential loss on ignition in the rock analysis. Transportation costs and environmental impacts of shipping the rock dust from a mine or quarry to the agricultural site is another key consideration. But with the right level of scientific due diligence, the potential benefits of ERW in the right environment is immense.”