Leveraging ecosystems responses to enhanced rock weathering in mitigation scenarios

Abstract

Abstract Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is deemed necessary to attain the Paris Agreement’s climate objectives. While bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has generated substantial attention, sustainability concerns have led to increased examination of alternative strategies, including enhanced rock weathering (EW). We analyse the role of EW under cost-effective mitigation pathways, by including the CDR potential of basalt applications from silicate weathering (geochemical CDR) and enhanced ecosystem growth and carbon storage in response to phosphorus released by basalt (biotic CDR). Using an integrated carbon cycle, climate and energy system model, we show that the application of basalt to forests could triple the level of carbon sequestration induced by EW compared to an application restricted to croplands. EW also reduces the costs of achieving the Paris Agreement targets as well as the reliance on BECCS. Further understanding requires improved knowledge of weathering rates and basalt side-effects through field testing.