Climate, Crops, and Crushed Rocks: Mapping the Sustainability of Enhanced Weathering from Mine to Field

Enhanced weathering (EW)—the application of crushed silicate rocks to agricultural soils has emerged as a promising climate solution for carbon dioxide removal, while potentially improving soil fertility and crop yield. But how sustainable is this process across its full life cycle, from mineral extraction to application on farms?

In this talk, I explore the multi-dimensional sustainability of enhanced weathering using quantitative modelling techniques such as life cycle assessment (LCA) and multi-regional input-output (MRIO) analysis. These methods allow us to map environmental, economic, and social impacts across sectors, geographies, and stages of the EW value chain.

Drawing on recent case studies from both developed and emerging economies, I will examine:

• The climate mitigation potential and trade-offs of large-scale crushed rock deployment
• The resource demands and emissions linked to mining, processing, and transport of basalt
• The social and economic dimensions, including labour impacts and implications for smallholder farmers
• The broader question of ecological unequal exchange, where Global South regions bear environmental burdens for Global North climate goals

This interdisciplinary talk invites geologists, soil and agricultural scientists, mining researchers, economists, and sustainability scholars to reflect on how enhanced weathering intersects with global efforts to deliver just, viable climate solutions.