Smart Net-Zero

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) | Source | Report |

Grasslands cover nearly 1/3 of the Earth's terrestrial surface and store 20% of global soil organic carbon (SOC), yet they are increasingly vulnerable to degradation from intensive livestock grazing. This FAO study provides a spatially explicit baseline for SOC, noting that improved grasslands require higher carbon inputs (2.1 tons C/ha/year) to maintain current stocks compared to unimproved systems. The report advocates for the inclusion of specific SOC targets in NDCs to improve transparency and policy tracking. Management recommendations focus on protecting carbon-dense areas and implementing rotational grazing or manure incorporation to potentially meet 17% of the aspirational "4p1000" target.