Effectiveness of the United Kingdom Soil Protection Laws in Protecting the Ecosystem Service of Carbon Sequestration
Authors: Demir, M., Ginige, T. and Green, I.
Journal: Gdańsk Legal Studies
Volume: 3
Issue: 51
Pages: 108-126
Publisher: University of Gdańsk
DOI: 10.26881/gsp.2021.3.08
Abstract:Carbon is critical to life and is found in nature in a variety of forms, such as plant tissues, soil organic matter, geology, and the atmosphere. There is a direct relationship between the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and the increase in temperature. CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in ecosystems. Carbon sequestration (CS) – the process of capturing and storing atmospheric CO2 – and the expansion of carbon storage in soils are one form of response to the challenges posed by climate change. Agricultural soils are one of the largest carbon reservoirs and have the potential for expanded carbon sequestration. Thus, protecting this ecosystem service that we obtain from the soil is crucial for climate change adaptation. Soil protection legislation should take into account the importance of carbon sequestration.
Key issues in the sphere of natural resources can only be solved by using the achievements of natural sciences in legal arguments. As such, this study begins by highlighting the importance of soils for carbon sequestration from a life science perspective. This study examines soil protection legislation in the UK, looking at whether it removes pressure on agricultural soils in a way that protects sequestration services. The results of this study suggest that soil protection legislation does not provide satisfactory protection for this function. Finally, we discuss alternative approaches to effectively protect carbon sequestration and propose solutions to reverse current trends in the protection of ecosystem services.
Source: Manual