Panel: Saving Our Soils—How Can We Get Carbon Back into the World’s Soils?

Bert G. Kerstetter '66 Ethics and the Environment Lecture Series -- Speakers: Rattan Lal, Ohio State University; Cheryl Palm, Columbia University; Debbie Reed, DRD Associates -- The world’s soil carbon exceeds the carbon in the atmosphere and plants combined. Cropping and overgrazing have caused large losses of soil carbon and the IPCC has identified changes in tillage practices and other efforts to sequester carbon in soils as the source of 90% of the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. New science has questioned the benefits of some changes in tillage practices but has also introduced new ideas, such as biochar. At the same time, soil degradation reduces agricultural production in many parts of the world. This panel will discuss issues involved with reversing soil degradation and increasing soil carbon sequestration.

Location: McCormick Hall 101

Date/Time: 05/01/08 at 09:00 am - 05/01/08 at 10:15 am

Category: Conferences & Lecture Series

Department: Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI)