ATW 2025: Harnessing Nature – Exploring Carbon Removal Solutions

Tim Field of Carbon Quester opened the seminar session with insights from the Soil Carbon Measurement and Mapping Project, which aims to benchmark soil carbon across 21 soil types using combined wet chemistry and handheld spectral analysis for cost-effective field measurements. He also announced partnerships with Network Rail to explore carbon storage opportunities on railway land, alongside a multi-source financing model engaging utilities and infrastructure investors to support long-term sequestration initiatives.

Professor David Powlson followed with a keynote on Managing Soil Carbon for Sustainability and Climate, emphasizing that while soils hold substantial carbon, their sequestration potential remains limited—offsetting only around 1.5% of annual global emissions. He stressed that soil carbon should complement, not replace, priorities in sustainable food production, with improved nitrogen use efficiency offering faster climate benefits.

Dr Stephan Haefele presented promising findings from enhanced rock weathering trials applying silicate rock dust at 2 tonnes per hectare. Early results indicate potential for both CO₂ capture and improved soil chemistry, suggesting a scalable nature-based removal pathway.

Finally, Dr Jonah Prout demonstrated the Rothamsted Carbon Model, built on 180 years of Broadbalk experiment data, which helps predict long-term soil carbon dynamics and guide realistic sequestration planning.

The event concluded with collaborative discussions and networking, underscoring the importance of integrating science, technology, and finance to advance scalable, nature-based carbon solutions. The event closed with side visits to the Sample Archive, the CT-Scanner and the Analytical Chemistry lab.