Viticulture for Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration

Introduction

Soil is the largest carbon buffer on earth, acting both as a carbon sink and a carbon source through CO2 emissions. There is a high carbon sequestration potential in EU vineyards. To exploit this potential, it is necessary to systematize technical (soil and crop management), economic (valorization of the green product), and commercial (approach to the carbon credit market) matters. This will enable vine growers to empower cultivation techniques for improving carbon stocking.

Project Objective

The general objective of the project is to create a pilot business model for promoting land-based CO2 removals in the vineyards. The business model will aim to:

1. Stimulate winegrowers to integrate carbon stocking in the soil management practices and cultivation techniques.
2. Create an automated system for calculating/estimating stored carbon that is credible, reliable, and certifiable by third parties.
3. Foster an approach to exchange platforms for carbon credits.

Activities

The activities include:

• Creation of a database on agronomic practices favoring soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation (WP2).
• Creation of an IT tool for estimating carbon stock, which is credible and certifiable (WP3).
• Implementation of the system in 4 pilot vineyards (in 3 partner farms) (WP4).
• Certification of carbon credits, with blockchain support, and their placement on exchange platforms (WP5).
• Monitoring of technical (carbon stock) and economic (business model) results (WP6).
• Transfer and replication of the system (WP7).

Expected Outcomes

The amount of carbon stored during the project (4 years) is estimated at 3,363 to 7,396 t CO2 equivalent (equal to 7,255 to 13,124 t CO2 equivalent in the 10-year scenario). Furthermore, the project expects to transfer the results to about 16,000 companies, customers of the coordinating beneficiary.

Alignment with Policy

The project is consistent with the area of intervention no. 4 "The development of land and sea management practices which have an impact on emissions and removals of emissions, conservation, and enhancement of natural carbon sinks," in which "Carbon farming" is mentioned as an approach to be promoted by the funded projects.