[Terrapreta] Global Carbon Cycle

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

Do you see any fundamental problem if the Agricultural Benefits and the
Climate Change Benefits rise or fall on their own merits?

Kevin


Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
> 
> You say,
> 
> the agricultural benefits it creates. The "diffusing arguments" I
> refer to would be along the lines of: "We have to wait until Carbon
> Credits are in place..." "We have to wait until we determine what the
> correct "Benefit Multiplier" is determined..." "We have to wait until
> we can show that TP will actually reduce Global Warming..." etc....
> 
> I say to those "arguments", "No need to wait ..."  Now, your
> "arguments" against using "Neo Terra Preta" as a carbon sink have
> been "diffused".  You don't need to depend on "carbon credits" to
> make TP do all the things you want TP to do for you and your land.
> You can sell it entirely and only as an "agricultural practice
> improvement".
> 
> But, you have not presented an argument, "diffusive" or otherwise
> against the fact that when you put charcoal into soil (a.k.a. "Neo
> Terra Preta" style), for whatever reason you wanted to, that the
> carbon in that soil came from the atmosphere, and will stay at or
> above that level for a very long time.  You will have sequestered
> carbon.  If you can't collect a "carbon credit" payment for doing
> that, so what?!  You think  that you will benefit alone from the soil
> improvements.  I think you likely will benefit for that reason too.
> I also think that by doing so, you will have given the world some
> benefit in terms of reducing atmospheric CO2 levels.
> 
> Now what?  Who ever tied "Terra Preta" and "carbon credits" together
> in an "if and only if" fashion?  You could have one or the other or
> both as far as I can tell.  Both is the most likely, in my opinion.
> But, again, making TP soils does not have to wait for earning "carbon
> credits".  For all we know, making TP might some day be paid in
> arrears as a carbon sink (as long as you made it since the Kyoto
> Protocol was ratified).
> 
> SKB
> 
>