The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. These 17 goals span a wide range of social, economic, and environmental issues, all of which are interconnected and require collective progress to achieve a sustainable future.
At InPlanet, we are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through our pioneering approach to combating climate change. By applying the natural process of Enhanced Weathering (EW) for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), we directly contribute to at least six SDGs.
In this article, you’ll discover how Enhanced Rock Weathering plays a fundamental role in our efforts to create a sustainable future, demonstrating the significant impact InPlanet is achieving by implementing this natural solution.
SDG 13 Climate Action: Tackling Global Warming with EW
Carbon Removal is an essential part of mitigating the climate crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has presented the scientific consensus that in addition to major cuts in CO2 emissions, we must also actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere. InPlanet is maximizing the CDR potential of EW and making a massive contribution to the IPCC’s goals.
As with natural rock weathering, EW enables durable and permanent carbon storage with no risk of reversal. Natural ‘background’ weathering, which is the slow dissolution of silicate rocks in the landscape, currently captures ~870 million tonnes of CO₂ per year globally, or approximately 3% of annual anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. EW can potentially increase this to 0.5–4 Gt, accounting for between ~20 and 100% of global CDR requirements by 2050, depending on emissions reduction pathways.
Beyond that, EW’s carbon removal potential is increased due to its suitability for large-scale implementation. EW does not require any additional infrastructure to scale. It is implemented in existing agricultural lands with rock powders that are a by-product of existing quarries. InPlanet is scaling its operations in Brazil and, by 2026, will have spread the rock powder to enable the removal of 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making a major contribution to global carbon removal goals.
SDG 15 Life on Land: Restoring Soil Health
InPlanet is addressing the critical issue of soil degradation in tropical regions. Tropical soils have been depleted of essential minerals through millennia of intense weathering, which poses a significant challenge to agriculture. InPlanet is spreading rock powder on farmland to remineralize and restore these soils. This natural process not only enhances soil fertility but also promotes sustainable production of nutritious food, securing the livelihoods of farmers in the long term.
By reducing the dependency on chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and limestone, Enhanced Weathering improves soil health and contributes to environmental sustainability. Our holistic approach treats the root cause of soil depletion, naturally releasing essential minerals back into the soil and restoring the health of the land.
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption: Promoting a Circular Economy
“InPlanet partners with existing local quarries that are mining rock for other products, like construction material. We take byproducts—rock that is too fine to be used in normal products that they would sell—and purchase it to apply it as a fertilizer on agricultural land. This promotes a circular economy because we’re using something that wouldn’t have been used otherwise, creating a remarkably sustainable process.”
Dr.Christina Larkin, Head of Science
InPlanet is reducing the accumulation of thousands of tonnes of residuals from the quarrying industry and giving it the noble purpose of acting as carbon removers and agricultural fertilizers. This way, we promote responsible consumption and production practices and contribute to a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency.
SDG 14 Life Below Water: Combating Ocean Acidification
Enhanced Rock Weathering removes CO2 from the atmosphere and transforms it into bicarbonates (learn more about the science behind it here). Bicarbonates are stable and water-soluble molecules that are carried via groundwater to rivers and, ultimately, to the ocean, where carbon will be stored for thousands of years.
Besides permanently storing carbon for thousands to millions of years, bicarbonate ions are crucial for marine organisms like corals, mollusks, and certain plankton that use calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. By mitigating acidification and replenishing the ocean with bicarbonates, these organisms can thrive, which in turn leads to increased carbonate production and storage in the ocean.
Moreover, fighting ocean acidification also improves the carbon storage potential of the ocean. The ocean acts as a massive carbon sink, absorbing about a quarter of human CO2 emissions annually. Acidification poses a threat to this role by potentially reducing the ocean’s capacity to absorb CO2 over time. Combating ocean acidification preserves the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon dioxide, thereby helping to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels and mitigate climate change.
By scaling Enhanced Weathering around the world and striving towards gigatonne-scale implementation, we can ensure that the positive effects on carbon sequestration and ocean health are achieved, fostering a more stable and sustainable environment for future generations.
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth: Boosting Local Economies
InPlanet is creating economic opportunities and jobs in rural areas by partnering with local farms and quarries and using byproducts for rock powder production. This initiative, particularly in regions like the Southeast of Brazil, helps improve incomes and enhances livelihoods in disadvantaged communities.
Furthermore, by keeping all analysis, sampling, and agronomic advice within the country, we strengthen our network of local partners and ensure that expertise and benefits are cultivated in Brazil. Our approach empowers local agronomists and scientists, fostering homegrown innovation and development.
In Brazil, where approximately 28 million people work in agribusiness, a sustainable transition has far-reaching effects. Enhanced Weathering supports sustainable development and prosperity, helping local populations combat climate challenges and improve their economic conditions. This holistic approach not only addresses environmental issues but also contributes to the economic empowerment and stability of vulnerable communities.
We are fighting the climate crisis together with the people most affected by it, providing them with a concrete tool for a challenge that might otherwise seem completely out of their control. Through these efforts, InPlanet is enhancing local economies and contributing significantly to global sustainable development goal #8.
SDG 2 Zero Hunger: Enhancing Food Security and Nutrition
Climate change significantly impacts global food systems, influencing both consumption patterns and production methods. Altered weather patterns disrupt crop yields and growing seasons and shifts in temperature and CO2 levels can impact crop nutrition and overall food quality.
A notable global observation of climate change is the decrease in the nutritional value of food crops due to elevated CO2 levels, which can reduce the concentrations of essential nutrients in staple crops such as wheat, rice, and soybeans, as this study shows.
Enhanced Weathering (EW) plays a crucial role in changing this reality. By improving soil health and replenishing essential minerals, EW creates a fertile environment for crops to grow. This leads to increased crop yields with higher nutritional value, which is crucial for alleviating hunger and malnutrition in vulnerable regions. Additionally, EW reduces the need for synthetic and chemical fertilizers by naturally increasing the availability of essential nutrients in the soil, promoting healthier, more nutritious food.
In essence, by enriching the soil with essential nutrients, we enhance the quality of crops grown in that soil, which directly impacts the nutritional content of the food we consume. This cycle ensures that nutrients from the soil are transferred to the food we eat, benefiting our health as well.
InPlanet’s operations in Brazil are particularly impactful, as Brazil is a major global food producer responsible for feeding around 10% of the world’s population. Restoring soil health in Brazil means improving the nutritional quality of produce that feeds the world.
Thus, addressing soil degradation in tropical regions is not only crucial for local agriculture but also for global food security. Moreover, enhanced agricultural productivity supports local economies and strengthens food systems, making communities more resilient to food shortages.
Our objective extends beyond carbon removal; we aim to maximize the positive impacts of Enhanced Weathering to guarantee a secure and robust food supply for generations to come.
A Bright Future Ahead
Adopting Enhanced Rock Weathering on a global scale is one of the best opportunities humankind has in order to effectively fight the climate crisis by removing CO2 from the atmosphere and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. InPlanet is committed to addressing climate change in a way that provides wins on all sides – our efforts contribute to a healthier planet and enhance community resilience and nutritious, more sustainable food for all.
Now is the moment to act—let’s scale up the use of ERW and build a greener, more resilient world together. Learn how you can be part of it here.
References
Smith et al., (2023). The State of Carbon Dioxide Removal – 1st Edition. Available at: https://www.stateofcdr.org
Jay Fuhrman, Candelaria Bergero, Maridee Weber, Seth Monteith, Frances M. Wang, Andres F. Clarens, Scott C. Doney, William Shobe, Haewon McJeon. Diverse carbon dioxide removal approaches could reduce impacts on the energy–water–land system. Nature Climate Change, 2023; DOI: 10.1038/s41558-023-01604-9
Beerling et al., 2020. Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands. Nature, 583(7815): 242-248.10.1038/s41586-020-2448-9
