Earth’s Hidden Ally: Soil in the Fight Against Climate Change

In the ongoing global effort to address climate change, a powerful yet underappreciated solution lies just beneath our feet—healthy soil. According to Flor G. Tarriela, healthy soil plays a vital role as a natural carbon sink, capable of significantly reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and helping slow the pace of global warming.

Soil rich in organic matter and teeming with microbial life has the ability to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere. As Tarriela explains, during photosynthesis, plants take in CO₂ and transfer part of it into the soil through their root systems. In healthy, well-managed soil, this carbon remains stored underground, effectively lowering the concentration of greenhouse gases.

However, Tarriela warns that harmful agricultural practices—such as slash-and-burn techniques, overgrazing, and the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides—can damage soil structure and microbial life. This degradation leads to the release of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, diminishing soil’s capacity to function as a carbon sink.

To reverse this, Tarriela advocates for the adoption of sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including composting, mulching, planting cover crops, and minimizing soil disturbance. These methods, she notes, not only improve soil health but also significantly increase its carbon sequestration potential.

Supporting this perspective, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that soil is the largest storehouse of terrestrial carbon, and that better soil management can substantially reduce global emissions. The World Economic Forum adds that raising carbon content in the top meter of soil by just 1% could sequester more carbon than all the annual emissions generated by burning fossil fuels worldwide.

Tarriela’s insights shine a light on the urgent need to prioritize soil health—not only for food security and biodiversity but also as a natural defense against climate change. Recognizing and restoring soil’s ability to capture carbon transforms it from a silent environmental victim into a powerful climate solution.