Enhanced Rock Weathering: A Decarbonization Solution

Ever thought about rock weathering that not only decarbonizes the atmosphere, but also benefits soils and oceans, too? Well, now you have. 

Enhanced rock weathering (ERW), a carbon removal technology that uses crushed basalt rocks spread on farmland to lock away carbon for tens of thousands of years, is a promising and scalable climate solution. The process of rock weathering is a geological process that occurs in nature over the course of hundreds of thousands of years. A handful of companies are replicating what nature can do, but speeding it up to remove the billions of tons of CO2 that humans have spewed into the atmosphere for decades. The total global opportunity of ERW is up to four billion tons of CO2 removal a year, which would constitute 40% of the IPCC's target of ten billion tons by 2050.

There are 10-15 companies globally doing ERW, including UNDO, which is among the most established. UNDO set the bar high with a goal of removing a billion tons cumulatively by 2030. They also give basalt rock free of charge to farmers to spread on their land, offering a three-fold solution: 1) raising the pH of land, 2) delivering a wide range of nutrients into soil, and 3) decarbonizing the atmosphere.

ERW is scalable, has a high potential for carbon sequestration volume, and can lock away carbon for more than 10,000 years with low risk of reversal. ERW also offers co-benefits as the rocks act as soil enhancers, reversing soil acidification and reducing the need for fertilizers. ERW could increase crop yields by up to 40%, and significantly reduce nitrogen oxides emissions from agricultural land.