Greenhouse gas removal with UK agriculture via enhanced rock weathering
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: School of Biosciences
Abstract
Meeting the UK's obligations for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 requires capturing and storing residual emissions of approximately 130 million tonnes of CO2e (CO2 equivalents) yr-1 with greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies within decades. The challenge is to achieve stringent mid-century emissions reductions without incurring major economic costs. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a GGR technology based on amending soils with crushed calcium- and magnesium-rich silicate rocks to accelerate natural CO2 sequestration processes, whilst delivering co-benefits for crop production, food security and soil health.
This ERW-GGR Demonstrator will provide the first integrated whole system assessment of the science, societal and scalability opportunities and challenges of ERW deployment in UK agriculture. It will assess the potential of ERW to remove up to 10% of the UK's GGR net-zero target by testing its implementation on arable land and the types of grassland covering 74% of UK utilized agricultural area (~13 million ha). Potential co-benefits include improved productivity by reducing excess soil acidity, resupplying soils with depleted plant-essential mineral nutrients, increased crop resistance to pests and pathogens, via greater silica uptake, and reducing soil nitrous oxide fluxes. Quantification of these co-benefits will generate evidence for catalysing early adoption and accelerating development pathways into standard agricultural practices.
We will address the challenge of developing ERW-GGR with crushed silicate rock (basalt) through a creative, innovative and exciting cross-disciplinary collaborative programme comprising four interlinked Work Packages: WP1) large-scale sub-catchment, field or plot trials representing major UK land uses, including full GHG budgeting, WP2) public engagement, social acceptability and responsible innovation of ERW as a GGR technology, WP3) supply chain Life Cycle Assessment and scalability case studies road-mapping deployment scenarios 5 and 15-20 year post-Demonstrator, and WP4) development and application of an advanced modelling framework for realistic assessment of GGR with UK agriculture and its impact on farm economics.
The ERW Demonstrator will be developed across three nationally important flagship field sites with long-term baseline datasets. The Plynlimon Experimental Catchments (mid-Wales) form the UK's longest-running catchment research facility, with 40 years of monitoring data from two paired catchments dominated by upland grassland with sub-catchments on the same bedrock and soils. In England, we will utilize two core BBSRC facilities: Rothamsted Research's North Wyke grassland experimental platform, Devon, and their cutting-edge arable research facility in Harpenden. Our interdisciplinary programme integrates across the natural and social sciences, with the former identifying environmental benefits and risks of deployment on UK arable and pastureland, and the latter contributing in-depth knowledge of public perceptions and local community acceptance of ERW. Working across WPs, we will construct a social license for ERW to operate at-scale in UK agriculture and develop a Responsible Research and Innovation programme for the Demonstrator.
We are planning three Demonstrator-led events, Policy Briefings, and outreach events with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, to facilitate academic, business and policy interactions and ensure regular contact with the wider stakeholder communities. Our work includes in situ work with stakeholders and gatekeepers to fill in the current cultural and social background of local rural communities, followed by in-depth deliberative research regarding ERW proposals with community members. The team will work with pre-existing community initiatives at each site, e.g., Welsh Government funding at Plynlimon and Defra funding of Rothamsted for linking conservation with land management changes.
This ERW-GGR Demonstrator will provide the first integrated whole system assessment of the science, societal and scalability opportunities and challenges of ERW deployment in UK agriculture. It will assess the potential of ERW to remove up to 10% of the UK's GGR net-zero target by testing its implementation on arable land and the types of grassland covering 74% of UK utilized agricultural area (~13 million ha). Potential co-benefits include improved productivity by reducing excess soil acidity, resupplying soils with depleted plant-essential mineral nutrients, increased crop resistance to pests and pathogens, via greater silica uptake, and reducing soil nitrous oxide fluxes. Quantification of these co-benefits will generate evidence for catalysing early adoption and accelerating development pathways into standard agricultural practices.
We will address the challenge of developing ERW-GGR with crushed silicate rock (basalt) through a creative, innovative and exciting cross-disciplinary collaborative programme comprising four interlinked Work Packages: WP1) large-scale sub-catchment, field or plot trials representing major UK land uses, including full GHG budgeting, WP2) public engagement, social acceptability and responsible innovation of ERW as a GGR technology, WP3) supply chain Life Cycle Assessment and scalability case studies road-mapping deployment scenarios 5 and 15-20 year post-Demonstrator, and WP4) development and application of an advanced modelling framework for realistic assessment of GGR with UK agriculture and its impact on farm economics.
The ERW Demonstrator will be developed across three nationally important flagship field sites with long-term baseline datasets. The Plynlimon Experimental Catchments (mid-Wales) form the UK's longest-running catchment research facility, with 40 years of monitoring data from two paired catchments dominated by upland grassland with sub-catchments on the same bedrock and soils. In England, we will utilize two core BBSRC facilities: Rothamsted Research's North Wyke grassland experimental platform, Devon, and their cutting-edge arable research facility in Harpenden. Our interdisciplinary programme integrates across the natural and social sciences, with the former identifying environmental benefits and risks of deployment on UK arable and pastureland, and the latter contributing in-depth knowledge of public perceptions and local community acceptance of ERW. Working across WPs, we will construct a social license for ERW to operate at-scale in UK agriculture and develop a Responsible Research and Innovation programme for the Demonstrator.
We are planning three Demonstrator-led events, Policy Briefings, and outreach events with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, to facilitate academic, business and policy interactions and ensure regular contact with the wider stakeholder communities. Our work includes in situ work with stakeholders and gatekeepers to fill in the current cultural and social background of local rural communities, followed by in-depth deliberative research regarding ERW proposals with community members. The team will work with pre-existing community initiatives at each site, e.g., Welsh Government funding at Plynlimon and Defra funding of Rothamsted for linking conservation with land management changes.
Organisations
Publications
Cael B
(2023)
Benefit-cost ratios of carbon dioxide removal strategies
in Environmental Research Letters
Carr-Whitworth R
(2023)
Delivering net zero in the UK: twelve conditions for success
in Environmental Research Letters
Cox E
(2022)
Deliberating enhanced weathering: Public frames, iconic ecosystems and the governance of carbon removal at scale.
in Public understanding of science (Bristol, England)
Cox E
(2022)
But They Told Us It Was Safe! Carbon Dioxide Removal, Fracking, and Ripple Effects in Risk Perceptions.
in Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis
Kantzas E
(2022)
Substantial carbon drawdown potential from enhanced rock weathering in the United Kingdom
in Nature Geoscience
Madankan M
(2023)
An inventory of UK mineral resources suitable for enhanced rock weathering
in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
West L
(2023)
Making mistakes in estimating the CO2 sequestration potential of UK croplands with enhanced weathering
in Applied Geochemistry
Description | Enhanced Rock Weathering Field Trial at the Barro Alto Mining Complex, Brazil (Rachael James) |
Amount | £101,930 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 7494172 |
Organisation | Anglo American PLC |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2022 |
End | 12/2024 |
Title | Harpenden Site GW Hydraulic Head |
Description | Groundwater hydraulic head (hourly) time series in three monitoring wells at the Harpenden site. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Identifies direction of groundwater flow at the site and streams receiving water from the basalt application area. |
Description | 39 Ways to Save the Planet |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Our work on Enhanced Rock Weathering featured as one of '39 Ways to Save the Planet', a BBC broadcast/podcast series and book by broadcaster Tom Heep. Episode was called 'Magical Rockdust' Tom also toured the country to promote the book, and the book's forward is by Arnold Schwarzenegger (ISBN: 9781473532793). Rachael James was interviewed for the episode and features in the book. The series has reached an audience of >10 million worldwide and we have had interest in applying rockdust from farmers, start-up companies and other entrepreneurs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qwt3 |
Description | CO2RE Hub Monthly seminar, 01.03.2023. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented overview of our UK Enhanced Rock Weathering Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator and participated in panel discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | COP27 Feature on BBC Radio solent, 07.11.2022. (Rachael James) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Rachael James: Provided commentary on progress towards achieving the Paris Agreement goal of restricting global warming to less than 2 degrees above pre-industrial. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Canadian Pugwash Group - Talk Show: Potential of rock dust, biochar, and seaweed biostimulant as soil amendments, 21.11.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation and panel discussion for YouTube livestream and podcast for the Canadian Pugwash Group. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://tosavetheworld.ca/episode-525-rock-weathering/ |
Description | Carbon Technology Research Foundation - Advisory Council, 19.01.2023. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | David Beerling was appointed to the scientific advisory panel for the Carbon Technology Research Foundation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Delivering Net Zero for the UK, 15.11.2022. (Nick Pidgeon) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | UKRI-EPSRC Energy Science Advisory Council |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Dr Phil Renforth: Interview with The Future Forest Company 'Can Enhanced Weathering Combat Climate Change?' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Phil Renforth recorded an interview 'Can Enhanced Weathering Combat Climate Change?' with The Future Forest Company on 18 August 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWPEz-s9wAg |
Description | Dr Phil Renforth: advised in the production of BBC Radio 4 broadcast '39 Ways to Save the Planet - Magical Rock dust' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Dr Phil Renforth advised in the production of BBC Radio 4 broadcast '39 Ways to Save the Planet - Magical Rock dust' - August 2021. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000z0k2 |
Description | Dr. Christopher Pearce: COP26 attendance and engagement during 8-14 November 2021. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Dr. Christopher Pearce attendance at COP26 as part of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) delegation during 8-14 November 2021. Observing panel discussions and attending other side events, many of which had an emphasis on Carbon Dioxide Removal approaches. Relevant engagement includes meeting representatives from Arup, who are conducting and Enhanced Weathering trial with Prof. David Manning (Newcastle University) and the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | ECT Podcast Series: plynlimon Research Catchments, 14.06.2022. (Alan Radbourne & Jack Cosby) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Alan Radbourne & Jack Cosby: Podcast for ECT to promote the Plynlimon research catchments and their listing on the ECT site list. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.ecologicalcontinuitytrust.org/podcasts |
Description | Enhanced Rock Weathering presentation to SPF GGR Demonstrators Steering Committee. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | David Beerling: Presented overview of our Enhanced Rock Weathering demonstrator and participated in panel discussion to the Strategic Priorities Fun GGR- Demonstrators Steering Committee, 05.09.2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Geochemical Carbon Dioxide Removal Research in Progress Meeting, 19.05.2022. (Chris Pearce) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Chris Pearce: Led the breakout discussion session on Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV) for enhanced rock weathering (ERW). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Greenhouse Gas Removal Event, 12.05.2022. (Chris Pearce) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Chris Pearce: Presented overview of our Enhanced Rock Weathering Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator and participated in panel discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Interview on Biden's speech at COP27 live in the BBC News Channel International, 11.11.2022. (Rachael James) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Rachael James: Provided expert opinion on the likely impacts of Biden's speech at COP27 for achieving climate and sustainability goals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Interview with Ashley Balzar for the Daily Beast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview with Ashley Balzar for the Daily Beast on enhanced weathering and unintended consequences. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Interview with a scientific journalist (Peter Yeung) for National Geographic |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | National Geographic Article published |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/could-crushed-rocks-absorb-enough-carbon-to-c... |
Description | Meeting about with Indigo & Verra re ERW scaling, 03.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Rebecca Keating and Indigo re Enhanced Rock Weathering scale up. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting about with Michel Ventures about Enhanced Rock Weathering methodologies, 12.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting about with Michel Ventures about Enhanced Rock Weathering methodologies, 12.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting about with Puro Earth about ERW methodologies, 27.09.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Leonard Smith of Puro Earth, regarding developing an ERW methodology. Later attendance on 28/09/2022 re Puro Earth Advisory Board meeting. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Advanced Consulting, 12.12.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Hedzer Roodenburg Vermaat of Advance Consulting regarding farms and mines in Middle East. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Andrew Jarvis at Tregothnan re Carbon Absorption of Finely Ground Granite, 14.11.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Andrew Jarvis at Tregothnan re Carbon Absorption of Finely Ground Granite. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Aurelie Gonzalez and Fernando Patino-Ramirez at Zinc Venture Builder, climate tech entrepreneurs, re: Enhanced Rock Weathering, 23.11.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Aurelie Gonzalez and Fernando Patino-Ramirez at Zinc Venture Builder, climate tech entrepreneurs, re: Enhanced Rock Weathering. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with BE-ST Build, 24.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Sarah Buchanan re industry partners and RD funding. BE-ST Build was formerly Construction Scotland Innovation Centre. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Carbonaught to discuss Enhanced Rock Weathering, 03.08.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | David Beerling: Meeting with Carbonaught to discuss Enhanced Rock Weathering in Australia, 03.08.2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with D-CAT Regarding UK Innovation funding competition, 12.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with this small business to discuss how to develop tools, technologies and techniques to assist and enable the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of land based greenhouse gas removal (GGR) methods. Funding competition was a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by Innovate UK as part of the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrators programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with DNV regarding UK Innovation funding competition, 01.09.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | David Beerling: Meeting with this small business to discuss how to develop tools, technologies and techniques to assist and enable the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of land based greenhouse gas removal (GGR) methods. Funding competition was a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by Innovate UK as part of the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrators programme, 01.09.2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with National Grid re Future Energy Scenarios report, 09.01.2023. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Kristian Dadhley and National Grid to inform 2023 report. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Meeting with Precision Media, 07.09.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Discussion with Precision Media regarding engagement with policy & agricultural stakeholders, and leveraging UK ERW for further funding. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Roundfield re ERW in drainage medium, 06.02.2023. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Jim Happybone at Roundfield to advise on basalt properties for drainage medium. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Meeting with S. Resaei-Gomari regarding UK Innovation funding competition, 27.07.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | David Beerling: Meeting with this small business to discuss how to develop tools, technologies and techniques to assist and enable the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of land based greenhouse gas removal (GGR) methods. Funding competition was a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by Innovate UK as part of the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrators programme, 27.07.2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Shannon Sterling at Dalhousie University, Canada, 01.09.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | David Beerling: Meeting with Shannon Sterling and others to discuss Enhanced Rock Weathering in Canada, 01.09.2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Shray Hill Farm, 06.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Joe Crosby at Shray Hill Farm regarding commercial trials. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with South Pole, 07.11.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Nathalie Dällenbach at South Pole to provide Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) overview to this carbon removal consultancy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Meeting with Veolia UK, 05.12.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Charlie Hendry-Smith and Luke Ford regarding Veolia UK's interest in conducting, or supporting, Enhanced Rock Weathering trials. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Oxford COP conversations |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | As the UK gears up to host COP26, Oxford's researchers will be right at the heart of that international conversation and their work will be crucial in shaping global policy decisions, with the goal of a more sustainable society and a cleaner, greener future for everyone. Tune in to our COP Conversations series to watch our academics present on a huge variety of themes, from extreme weather patterns to ecosystems, and from why we need to get to Net Zero, to what countries need to agree to this November. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.research.ox.ac.uk/article/2021-09-14-cop-conversations |
Description | Oxford Net Zero Online Discussions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Ros Rickaby, Sophie Gill, Roxana Shafiee and Myles Allen in conversation: "CO2 solutions: ocean carbon storage options" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/videos/ocean-carbon-storage-options/ |
Description | Presentation at Climate Solution: Meet The Experts - The Role of Carbon Capture by Royal Scottish Geographical Society, 11.10.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented overview of our ERW demonstrator and participated in panel discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Presentation on Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV) for Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) for AirMiners event series, 02.11.2022. (David Beerling) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presented overview of our UK Enhanced Rock Weathering Greenhouse Gas Removal Demonstrator and participated in panel discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Prof Nicholas Pidgeon: Memorandum submitted to House of Lords Environmental Audit (EA) Committee |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Co-I Professor Nicholas Pidgeon was invited to submit a Memorandum entitled 'Public Acceptability and Governance of Negative Emissions Technologies at Scale' to the House of Lords Environmental Audit (EA) Committee. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof Rachael James: COP26 participation in side events, during 1-7 November 2021, in the role of agriculture in delivering net zero. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Prof Rachael James: COP26 participation in side events, during 1-7 November 2021, in the role of agriculture in delivering net zero. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof. David Beerling - Interview with New Scientist Podcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor David Beerling was invited to an interview with Rowan Hooper, New Scientist Podcast Editor on 17th February 2022. Enhanced weathering - using ground-up rocks to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere - is one of a number of technological carbon capture solutions being tested to try and mitigate against global warming. The team speaks to Professor David Beerling of the University of Sheffield, one of the scientists in the UK leading the development of this technique. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.newscientist.com/podcasts/106-saving-children-from-cancer-new-ways-to-remove-greenhouse-... |
Description | Prof. David Beerling: Invited Panel Guest on Royal Society Webinar 'You and the Planet: Tomorrow's Earth' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Prof. David Beerling: Invited Panel Guest on Royal Society Webinar 'You and the Planet: Tomorrow's Earth' on 27th January 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://youtu.be/NaEiv9FMXKA |
Description | Prof. Nicholas Pidgeon: Talk at Energy Ethics 2021 Conference, St Andrews University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Prof. Nicholas Pidgeon: Talk at Energy Ethics 2021 Conference, St Andrews University on 26th October 2021 EE2021: ENERGY TRANSITIONS & PLANETARY TRANSFORMATIONS Session: Innovation: Knowledge & Technology. Talk title: 'Deliberating The Climate Emergency: Closing Off, Opening Up and the Collingridge Dilemma.' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://energyethics.st-andrews.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/EE2021-Programme.pdf |
Description | Prof. Pete Smith: COP26 attendance during 01-14 November 2021, including side events on GGR technologies. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Prof. Pete Smith attended COP26 during 01-14 November 2021, including side events on Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof. Pete Smith: Carbon Commentary |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 23 November 2021: Prof. Pete Smith engaged with Chris Goodall at The Carbon Commentary advising on basalt application to agricultural land. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Prof. Pete Smith: Specialist Adviser to House of Lords Science & Technology Committee Inquiry on Nature-based Solutions |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Co-I Professor Pete Smith is an invited Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee Inquiry on Nature-based Solutions, attending weekly meetings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Professor Nick Pidgeon took part in the US National Academies series of Climate Conversations in a one hour webcast panel on Ocean Carbon Removal, 20th January 2022. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Invited panellist (1 of 3) to a 1 hour debate under the US National Academies series of Climate Conversations in a panel on Ocean Carbon Removal, 20th January 2022. Over 800 discrete views of the webinar were recorded, spanning North America and International audiences. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/01-20-2022/climate-conversations-ocean-carbon-dioxide-remova... |
Description | Profs David Beerling and Pete Smith: The Carbon Community Science Advisory Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor David Beerling and Professor Pete Smith are invited members of the Science Advisory Group to advising on basalt application to new woodland. The study by The Carbon Community will look at the combinatorial impact of forest microbiome inoculation and enhanced rock weathering. Over the first two years, the project will measure the carbon stored in the trees and soil, and the results will identify the combination of treatments where the most carbon has been sequestered. The Carbon Community aims to scale up this reforestation method to accelerate and enhance carbon removal from the atmosphere. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
URL | https://www.carboncommunity.org/about-the-mission |
Description | Profs Steve McGrath and Pete Smith: National Farmers Union Net Zero Science Advisory Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Co-Is, Professor Steve McGrath and Professor Pete Smith are invited members of the National Farmers Union Net Zero Science Advisory Panel (NZSAP). NZSAP visited our Rothamsted Research, Harpenden arable demonstration site on 20th July 2021 and discussed the technology and Net Zero. They will visit again in the future when the demonstrator field site is more mature and results are available. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Sabah Climate Change International Conference 2021 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The conference, held in Sabah Malaysia, bought together officials from government, private sector, research, civil society and indigenous organisations, youth and community groups in Sabah to: 1. Create awareness on the impacts of climate change. 2. Share knowledge and experiences on the awareness approaches and initiatives that strengthen resilience to climate change at global and local scales. 3. Facilitate networking and enhance cooperation amongst a broad base of stakeholder groups and promote public participation in both the climate change and conservation agendas. 4. Provide a platform for youths to participate and raise voices on climate change action. The Conference sparked much discussion from the various parties, and interest in work that we are doing on enhanced rock weathering in the region. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Series of Drive Time interviews on BBC local radio (Humberside Live, Wiltshire Live, WM Live and Cumbria Live), 18.11.2022. (Rachael James) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Rachael James: Provided commentary on implications of outcomes of COP27 for mitigating global heating. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Springer Nature Symposium: Technology for a sustainable future: climate change and the quest to actively reduce atmospheric CO2 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Gave a talk entitled to the Symposium: How to manipulate the ocean to absorb more CO2 And partook in the panel discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.fundacionareces.es/fundacionareces/en/events/atmospheric-co2-capture-technologies-for-a-... |
Description | Strategic design of responses to climate change adaptation and mitigation challenges in the Agri-food sector in Europe, 08.11.2022. (Steve McGrath) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Steve McGrath: MACSUR SciPol is a pilot exercise initiated by the Joint Programming Initiative for Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI) to bring science and policy actors together for the strategic design of responses to climate change adaptation and mitigation challenges in the Agri-food sector in Europe. The workshop centred on the following: How effective are technology driven (SI) or nature driven pathways (Regen) to net zero in the agri-food domain? What are the risks and barriers for such trajectories? Are there risks for adaptive capability? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | The Greenhouse Gas Removal Landscape - Ethics and Societal Acceptance, 14.06.2022. (Nick Pidgeon) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Nick Pidgeon: UK Energy Research Centre Conference, Manchester |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Understanding the Value of Saltmarshes for Human Wellbeing, 21.11.2022. (Erin Roberts) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Erin Roberts: Invited presentation at 'Wales Climate Week' organised by Welsh Government. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.climateweek.gov.wales/EN/WalesClimateWeek2022/on-demand |