Management options for reducing CO2-concentrations in the atmosphere by increasing carbon sequestration in the soil

When the 'degraded' and 'stable' Agriculural Lands, Extensive Grasslands and Forest Regrowth categories are considered, this would be 20 apporximately 10 Pg C. On average, from 0.58 to 0.80 Pg C yr -1 can be sequestered in the soils, of the regions under consideration, according to these scenarios; this would correspond with about 9-12% of the anthropogenic CO₂-C produced annually. The scenarios assume that 'best' management and/of manipulation of a large portion of the globe's soils is possible; yet their implementation need not necessarily be feasible due to the economic, environmental and societal/cultural conditions.

Migitation of atmospheric CO₂ by increased carbon sequestration in the soil, particularly makes sense in the scope of other global challanges such as combatting land degradation, improving soil quality and productivity, and preserving biodiversity. Effective mitigation policies will likely be based on a combination of many modest and economically sound reductions, which confer added-benefits to society. In identifying these 'best practices', due attention must be paid also to any possible adverse environmental and socio-economic effects some of these practices may have.