<br>Desert ‘carbon farming’ to curb CO2<br>
<br>1 August 2013<br>
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<br>By Matt McGrath<br>
<br>Environment correspondent, BBC News<br>
<br>Scientists state that planting big numbers of jatropha trees in desert locations could be a reliable method of curbing emissions of CO2.<br>
<br>Dubbed “carbon farming”, scientists state the concept is financially competitive with state-of-the-art carbon capture and storage jobs.<br>
<br>But critics say the concept might be have unpredicted, unfavorable impacts including driving up food rates.<br>
<br>The research study has been published, external in the journal Earth System Dynamics.<br>
<br>Seeds of change<br>
<br>Jatropha curcas is a plant that originated in Central America and is effectively adjusted to extreme conditions consisting of very dry deserts.<br>
<br>It is already grown as a biofuel, external in some parts of the world since its seeds can produce oil.<br>
<br>In this study, German researchers showed that one hectare of jatropha might capture up to 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. The scientists based their quotes on trees currently growing in trial plots in Egypt and in the Negev desert.<br>
<br>”The results are frustrating,” stated Prof Klaus Becker, from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart.<br>
<br>”There was excellent development, a good reaction from these plants. I feel there will be no problem attempting it on a much larger scale, for instance 10 thousand hectares in the beginning,” he stated.<br>
<br>According to the researchers a plantation that would cover three percent of the would soak up all the CO2 produced by vehicles and trucks in Germany over a twenty years duration.<br>
<br>The scientists state that an important aspect of the strategy would be the schedule of desalination facilities. This implies that initially, any plantations would be restricted to seaside locations.<br>
<br>They are wanting to establish larger trials in desert locations of Oman or Qatar. Prof Becker says that unlike other schemes that just offset the carbon that people produce, the planting of jatropha could be an excellent, brief term service to climate modification.<br>
<br>”I believe it is a great idea since we are truly extracting carbon dioxide from the environment – and it is totally different in between extracting and preventing.”<br>
<br>According to the researcher’s estimations the expenses of curbing carbon dioxide through the planting of trees would be in between 42 and 63 euros per tonne. This makes it competitive with other methods, such as the more high tech carbon capture and storage, external (CCS).<br>
<br>A number of nations are currently trialling this innovation, external but it has yet to be deployed commercially.<br>
<br>Growing jatropha not only soaks up CO2 but has other benefits. The plants would assist to make desert areas more habitable, and the plant’s seeds can be harvested for biofuel say the researchers, supplying an economic return.<br>
<br>”Jatropha is ideal to be developed into biokerosene – it is even much better than biodiesel,” stated Prof Becker.<br>
<br>But other professionals in this area are not convinced. They indicate the fact that in 2007 and 2008 large numbers of jatropha trees were planted for biofuel, specifically in Africa. But much of these ventures ended in tears,, external as the plants were not really effective in managing dry conditions.<br>
<br>Lucy Hurn is the biofuels campaign supervisor for the charity, Actionaid. She states that while jatropha was as soon as viewed as the excellent, green hope the reality was very different.<br>
<br>”When jatropha was introduced it was seen as a miracle crop, it would grow on scrubland or limited land,” she said.<br>
<br>”But there are frequently individuals who require minimal land to graze their animals, they are getting food from that location – we would not class the land as limited.”<br>
<br>She explained that jatropha is highly toxic and can pollute the land it is grown on, even in a desert. And she also had issues about the fairness of the concept.<br>
<br>”It is still somebody else’s land. Why go in and grow these huge plantations to handle an issue these individuals didn’t really cause?”<br>
<br>Follow Matt on Twitter, external.<br>
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<br>Related internet links<br>
<br>Universität Hohenheim<br>
<br>European Geosciences Union<br>
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