Can Current Earth Observation Technologies Provide Useful Information on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks for Environmental Land Management Policy?

Ana Andries, Stephen Morse, Richard J. Murphy, Jim Lynch, Bernardo Mota and Emma R. Woolliams
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Ana Andries: Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Stephen Morse: Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Richard J. Murphy: Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Jim Lynch: Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Bernardo Mota: Climate and Earth Observation Group, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW, UK
Emma R. Woolliams: Climate and Earth Observation Group, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-28

Abstract: Earth Observation (EO) techniques could offer a more cost-effective and rapid approach for reliable monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of soil organic carbon (SOC). Here, we analyse the available published literature to assess whether it may be possible to estimate SOC using data from sensors mounted on satellites and airborne systems. This is complemented with research using a series of semi-structured interviews with experts in soil health and policy areas to understand the level of accuracy that is acceptable for MRV approaches for SOC. We also perform a cost-accuracy analysis of the approaches, including the use of EO techniques, for SOC assessment in the context of the new UK Environmental Land Management scheme. We summarise the state-of-the-art EO techniques for SOC assessment and identify 3 themes and 25 key suggestions and concerns for the MRV of SOC from the expert interviews. Notably, over three-quarters of the respondents considered that a ‘validation accuracy’ of 90% or better would be required from EO-based techniques to be acceptable as an effective system for the monitoring and reporting of SOC stocks. The cost-accuracy analysis revealed that a combination of EO technology and in situ sampling has the potential to offer a reliable, cost-effective approach to estimating SOC at a local scale (4 ha), although several challenges remain. We conclude by proposing an MRV framework for SOC that collates and integrates seven criteria for multiple data sources at the appropriate scales.

Keywords: monitoring; verification; reporting; soil organic carbon; soil organic matter; Earth Observation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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