Could satellites measure soil carbon from space?

A satellite-based system quickly and accurately monitors CO2 captured in the soil

Spotted: According to one IPCC study, global agriculture is directly responsible for up to 8.5 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, with another 14.5 per cent coming from the clearing of carbon-sequestering habitats like forests and peatland. One way to reverse this is through regenerative agriculture, which allows cropland and pasture to sequester carbon.

Helping more farmers achieve this is the goal of climate tech firm Seqana, which conducts satellite-enabled soil carbon monitoring. The system performs cost-efficient and accurate estimates of soil organic carbon without the need for expensive soil sampling. The company claims its analytics cost 10 times less and are 60 times faster than current alternatives.

Seqana uses the soil carbon data from its proprietary system to deliver bespoke statistical models. The resulting, highly accurate soil carbon maps can then be used in project scouting, supply chain insights, precision farming, and carbon credit due diligence. All of which makes it easier to track the effect of regenerative farming on carbon sequestration.

There is growing interest in tools that better reassure, report, and verify regenerative agriculture projects. Recent innovations include a platform that streamlines the tracking of nature restoration projects and a pay-as-you-use model that helps farmers switch to regenerative farming.

Written By: Lisa Magloff