2025/08/13 by Wim van Dijk, J.F.M. Helming, H. Mollenhorst +5 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Forest Management and Policy #Bioenergy crop production and management #Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
paper · doi:10.1016/j.eja.2025.127808
openalex publication_date 2025/08/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Climate change is currently one of the main global issues that challenges society. Important mitigation measures include increasing the uptake and storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the soil. A model study was done to assess the economic and environmental effects of measures to increase the annual soil carbon sequestration (SCS) rate on representative dairy and arable farms in the Netherlands. Increasing the use of carbon (C) containing side streams like compost proved to be a cost-effective SCS measure on the individual farm level (+0.74 ton CO 2 ha −1 year −1 ), but also increased the nitrogen (N) surplus. Due to limited availability and replacement effects, its potential to significantly enhance SCS at national level remains uncertain. Measures that increase the internal C supply by growing crops with a high C content in their residues and cover crops, were also analysed. On dairy farms increasing the area of permanent grassland instead of temporary grassland, showed to be an appropriate cost-effective measure for additional SCS (+0.13 ton CO 2 ha −1 year −1 ) and also decreased GHG budget (greenhouse gas emissions minus SCS). On arable farms increasing the area of cereals and growing more cover crops also increased SCS (+0.12–0.22 ton CO 2 ha −1 year −1 ) while N surplus decreased, but calculated costs per ton CO 2 sequestration or per ton GHG budget reduction were above current and expected near-future CO 2 prices. On a national level combining these measures for dairy and arable farms would lead to an additional SCS of 0.22 Mton CO 2 year −1 which is lower than the SCS goal of 0.4–0.6 Mton CO 2 year −1 in the Dutch Climate Agreement. • On a farm level simulated soil carbon sequestration (SCS) of various measures ranged from 0.13 to 0.74 ton CO 2 ha −1 year −1 . • Organic amendments proved to be cost-effective, but the national impact is limited by availability and replacement effects. • On dairy farms more permanent grassland is a cost effective SCS measure with hardly trade-offs. • On arable farms growing more cereals and cover crops increased SCS, decreased N surplus but costs exceeded current CO 2 -price. • Nationally, combining measures resulted in a SCS of 0.22 Mton CO 2 year −1 which is below the national target of 0.4–0.6 Mton CO 2 year −1 .