French government commits to soil solution.

Taking a leadership role in the move to combat climate change through soil restoration, the nation of France has launched its 4per 1000: Soils For Food Security and Climate program. To date, nearly 100 countries and organizations have signed on. Read more about it below, including comments from TCU Advisors Andre Leu and Tim LaSalle.

At the UN Climate Talks, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Director General for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Enterprises of the French Ministry of Agriculture spoke to climate and agriculture reporters and climate and food activists about “4 per 1000: Soils for Food Security and Climate,” an initiative to mitigate, and eventually reverse, climate change. The Initiative, launched in December at the COP21 Climate Summit in Paris, calls for countries to increase soil carbon worldwide by 0.4% per year. So far, 26 countries and more than 50 organizations have formally signed on to the initiative.

André Leu, president of IFOAM Organics International, said: “The French Government 4 per 1000 Initiative is a fantastic win, win, win for the planet. By changing agriculture to one that regenerates soil organic carbon we not only reverse climate change we can improve farm yields, increase water holding capacity and drought resilience, reduce the use of toxic agrochemicals, improve farm profitability and produce higher quality food.”

Tim LaSalle, Ph.D., Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, said: “If we stopped all GHG emissions today, the planet would still warm for the next 40 years. We absolutely must stop the emissions. But what is now also imperative is that we reduce this legacy of CO2 in our atmosphere and oceans. We have mechanism to do this through photosynthesis and our soils. And with the right incentives in place, our farmers and ranchers the world over can perform this heroic feat. But this is key: We must create the proper incentives for our civilization’s survival.”

Read or download the French governments official announcement here.