A coalition of technology companies pledged $915 million to fund enhanced rock weathering projects over the next five years. The group, which includes Anthropic, Stripe, and Alphabet, seeks to scale up natural chemical reactions that trap carbon dioxide in agricultural soil.
Enhanced rock weathering involves spreading crushed silicate rock, such as basalt, onto farm fields. When rain falls, the dissolved rock reacts with carbon dioxide in the air to form bicarbonate, which eventually washes into the oceans and remains locked away for thousands of years.
Scaling Agricultural Carbon Sinks
The funding will purchase carbon credits from startups working with farmers in the US Midwest and Western Europe. Researchers estimate that applying basalt to cropland could capture up to two billion tons of carbon dioxide annually if implemented globally.
"We need permanent removal methods, not just temporary forest credits," says climate researcher Dr. fatima Al-Rashid. "Rock weathering is stable, measurable, and benefits soil health by returning minerals to the ground."
The coalition hopes the investment will drive down the cost of rock weathering below $100 per ton of carbon removed.
