Other publications from the Carbon Action platform

Soil as part of climate solution – agricultural policy reform to promote climate-smart agriculture

2021 | Karttunen, Kaisa; Berninger, Kati; Granholm, Kaj; Huttunen, Suvi; Kekkonen, Hanna; Lehtonen, Heikki; Lähteenmäki-Uutela, Anu; Lötjönen, Timo; Mattila, Tuomas; Miettinen, Antti; Niemi, Jyrki; Regina, Kristiina; Savikurki, Anni; Sorvali, Jaana; Söderlund, Sanna; Virkkunen, Elina; Kaljonen, Minna; Mäkipää, Raisa

As part of Finland’s goal of being carbon neutral in 2035, also agriculture must reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. About half of agricultural GHG emissions are caused by the cultivation of peat soils. Hence, the largest and quickest emission reductions are possible by changes in the agricultural practices on peat soils. Furthermore, croplands on mineral soils can be converted from emission sources to carbon sinks by diversifying cultivation methods and, thus, improving soil health.

Finnish agricultural policy should guide agriculture to take on climate measures on both peat and mineral soils. A sufficiently extensive selection of measures is required so that different farms can choose alternatives suitable for them. The adoption of new methods requires changes in the farmers’ thinking, and in their approach to farm management. In order to ensure a fair transition to climate-smart land use, we must know the income effects of the climate measures in different areas and for different production sectors.

Regenerative Agriculture: the new direction of food production

10/2020 [revised 12/2020] | EIJA HAGELBERG, ULRIKA WIKSTRÖM, JUUSO JOONA, TUOMAS MATTILA

Review on regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is an emerging holistic approach to food production that strengthens
the ecosystem. In addition to high-quality and good yields, it improves soil health, increases biodiversity and serves a functioning water management.

STN MULTA POLICY BRIEF 1: Farming methods need to be updated in order to manage the carbon stock in agricultural soil – achieving 4p1000 in the Finnish context

26.2.2020 | Tuomas J. Mattila (SYKE), Juuso Joona (UH), Kristiina Regina (Luke)

On a global scale, agricultural soil contains a significant carbon stock. Relatively small changes in the size of the stock can have a major impact on the climate. In Finland, the carbon stocks in arable land are declining but this development can be reversed by increasing carbon sequestration in mineral soils and by slowing down carbon losses in organic soils.

The multibeneficial catch and cover crops

11/2020 | EIJA HAGELBERG

A guide on how to choose catch and cover crops.