A Plan to Extract Gigatons of Atmospheric CO 2 through Agroforestry

Abstract

The UN International Panel Environment Programme (“UNEP”), 2023 Emissions Gap Report urgently presses the global community to adopt a two-pronged approach to reduce atmospheric concentration of CO 2 —expedite efforts to reduce annual CO 2 emissions; and increase investment in large-scale carbon dioxide removal (“CDR”) projects. The Gap Report sets a 2050 target of six-gigatons annual land-based CDR. Our proposed agroforestry project will convert thirty-five-million acres of rangeland in the American Great Plains to silvopasture, combining growing trees and raising livestock. Employing agroforestry interests 61% of Great Plaints farmers/ranchers recently surveyed. The Project plans to annually collect + six-gigatons CO 2 equiv. of fallen leaves and store the stable carbon-rich biomass underground for centuries. The purpose of this paper is to describe the framework for formation of a global partnership at the local, regional, and international levels to coordinate public and private financing mechanisms, implement, and operate a large-scale CDR Project that will meaningfully impact the global effort to mitigate climate change.