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What Does It Mean to Be Carbon Positive (C+)?

Being Carbon Positive means going beyond net-zero carbon emissions (popularly known as Carbon Neutral or Carbon Zero). It involves removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or "carbon equivalent" (CO2e = Greenhouse Gases -GHG-) from the atmosphere such that removals are greater than emissions. This is achieved by reducing what you are going to emit, while simultaneously optimizing the recycling, removal, or capture of what is inevitably emitted, thereby resulting in a net gain (which is mathematically negative, but POSITIVE for the environment).

In other words, it’s about absorbing more CO2=CO2e than is released, creating a beneficial environmental impact (positive = +).

It is important to note that when quantitatively measuring emissions and removals, and then calculating (mathematically) the carbon balance by subtracting the counted reductions and removals from emissions:

• If emissions are greater than reductions and removals, the numerical result will be a positive value, which (contradictorily) means the emitter is causing a negative (-) environmental impact.

• In contrast, when removals (the sum of reductions and removals) are greater than emissions, the calculation will yield a negative (-) value, which means the emitter was capable of not only neutralizing their own emissions but also achieving a net gain that signifies a positive (+) environmental impact.

Mathematically, this would be: X - Y = -Y, when Y (removals) is a greater number than X (emissions). For the carbon balance, this is illustrated as:

The Importance of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) for the Planet

It is well known that Greenhouse Gases (GHG) are crucial for the planet, playing a fundamental role in regulating Earth's temperature. However, human activities—such as burning fossil fuels, burning vegetation, deforestation, and intensive agriculture practices like erosive tilling that destroy and degrade soil organic carbon, negatively altering soil structure and function, the use of chemicals and poisons that harm soil life and its functions, and generally all human activities that constitute emission sources globally—have significantly increased concentrations in the atmosphere. This has intensified the natural greenhouse effect and caused global warming.

The Natural Greenhouse Effect:

• It is an essential process for life on Earth.

• Certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, trap heat from the sun and redistribute it across the Earth's surface, maintaining a habitable average temperature of about 15ºC.

• Without this effect, Earth would be a frozen planet with an average temperature of -18ºC.

Emissions and Their Impact:

• The increase in GHG concentrations due to human activities is intensifying the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat and causing global warming.

• This has disastrous consequences for the planet, including:

  • Rising sea levels
  • More frequent and intense extreme weather events (heatwaves, droughts, floods, storms)
  • Ocean acidification
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Threats to food and water security

GHG Emission Reduction:

• It is vital for mitigating climate change and its devastating impacts.

• Urgent action is required at individual, national, and international levels to reduce GHG emissions:

  • Transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
  • Improve energy efficiency across all sectors.
  • Conserve forests and promote reforestation.
  • Adopt regenerative and sustainable agricultural and livestock practices.
  • Implement public policies that incentivize emission reduction.

In conclusion, while GHG are essential for life on Earth, excessive emissions due to human activities are dangerously disrupting the planet's natural balance. Therefore, the intentional goal of MITIGATING or ELIMINATING (which includes reducing and removing) GHG emissions is crucial for combating climate change and protecting the future of our planet. Where possible, this purpose should go beyond NEUTRALITY (which is when GHG emissions are reduced to zero—a goal that is difficult for most human activities, especially industrial, financial, technology development, and those based on traditional energy or fossil fuels) and surpass emissions with removals, in order to achieve the greatest possible positive impact on the planet's balance, which is what we call CARBON POSITIVITY (C+).

Can We Really Be C+? How Is It Achieved?

It is definitely YES possible. There are various strategies to achieve this goal, including:

1. Maximizing GHG Emission Reductions:

• Use Renewable Energy: Implement energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, or hydro to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Biochar or biogas are also viable options.

• Improve Energy Efficiency: Optimize energy consumption in homes, businesses, and industries through the adoption of efficient technologies and saving practices. In the agricultural sector, this involves achieving maximum, most efficient utilization of natural or renewable energies, especially solar energy, for operating pumps (like water pumps), fences, milking equipment, barns, and similar infrastructure.

• Sustainable Transportation: Encourage the use of public transport, bicycles, walking, and electric vehicles to reduce transport-related emissions. In the agricultural sector, it is key to reduce emissions from the transport of animals and feed, which may involve shorter supply routes, strengthening links between producer and buyer, reducing intermediaries in the production chain, and similar measures.

2. Removing GHG from the Atmosphere as Much as Possible:

• Afforestation/Reforestation: Plant trees that absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and store it in their biomass. This includes implementing technological proposals like Syntropic Agroforestry, Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) in all their modalities, and Integrated Agriculture, Livestock, and Forestry (IALF).

• Regenerative Agriculture and Livestock: Implement farming and ranching practices that increase carbon capture in the soil (Soil Organic Carbon = SOC) and in vegetation, such as minimal or no-tillage, crop and pasture rotation, and permanent, biodiverse vegetation cover.

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technologies: Develop and apply technologies that capture from point-source emissions, such as those generated by power plants or industries, and store it safely underground (SOC).

Why Is the Agricultural Sector the Key Sector for Carbon Positive (C+), Unlike Any Other?

We are all constantly, in one way or another, daily emitters of GHG into the atmosphere. And we can, and must, all simultaneously REDUCE our individual emissions and our contribution to global emissions as much as possible. However, we simply CANNOT bring our emissions to net zero because we will inevitably continue to emit, whether in a smaller or larger amount.

Practically NO industrial or business sector, including transportation, has the genuine capacity to bring its emissions to net zero, because to do so, they would have to cease operating and/or existing. Since this is realistically highly improbable, the only path left for the highest-emitting sectors (and for everyone, in reality, including individuals) is to OFFSET their emissions.

Offsets are a tool that allows individuals, companies, or organizations to neutralize the GHG emissions they generate. Those who must emit, and who reach their maximum potential for reductions or removals but cannot remove the unavoidable emissions from the atmosphere, must make an offset. This involves an economic contribution invested in one or more selected projects that do have the capacity to remove emissions from the atmosphere. The investment amount is usually proportional to the quantity of GHG one wishes to offset. Although this value varies from project to project and year by year according to market dynamics, the calculated average value in 2024 is $15 USD for every 1 ton of CO2e avoided/reduced or eliminated.

The sector that has the greatest capacity (and perhaps the only one that can) to remove GHG emissions from the atmosphere and produce a net gain (C+) is, undoubtedly, the agricultural sector. This is achieved through projects like forest or livestock pasture reforestation, regeneration of natural forests on degraded lands, conservation or rehabilitation of ecosystems (e.g., mangroves, arid lands, desertified soils, etc.), climate-smart agriculture and livestock, wildlife habitat restoration, among many others.

What Are the Benefits of Being ?

• Mitigate Climate Change: Contributes to reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases (—mainly Carbon Dioxide -CO2-, Nitrous Oxide N2O, and Methane -CH4-) in the atmosphere and their harmful effects on the planet when they are not neutralized.

• Improve Air Quality: Decreases air pollution and its impacts on human health and ecosystems.

• Promote Sustainability: Encourages environmentally responsible practices and contributes to building a more sustainable future.

• Generate Economic Opportunities: Stimulates the development of new technologies, the creation of green jobs, investment in sustainable solutions, and climate financing (Carbon and/or Biodiversity credits/bonds).

Being Carbon Positive (C+) is an ambitious yet achievable goal. It requires a global and individual commitment to adopt sustainable practices across all sectors of society. In this regard, the agricultural sector, and especially livestock farming, plays a fundamental and key role.

Examples of Carbon Positive Initiatives:

• Costa Rica: Has set a goal to become the world's first carbon-neutral country by 2050 and has been implementing strategies since 2012 in agriculture and 2014 in livestock to become carbon positive in several sectors, including energy, transport, and agriculture (NAMA Livestock, NAMA Coffee, NAMA Musaceae strategies). NAMA stands for Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action. Following Costa Rica's example, NAMA strategies are expanding across the Americas.

• Iceland: Has managed to reduce its CO2 emissions 90% since 1990 and is working to become a carbon-positive society by 2040.

• Companies: Some companies have committed to becoming carbon positive, such as Microsoft and BBVA, among others, which have set a goal to eliminate all their carbon emissions by 2030.

How to Become a Carbon Positive (C+) Agro-Producer?

At PARTNER CEG, we work daily, offering consulting/advisory services and training, so that agro-producers like you can convert their production units (land dedicated to agricultural use in combination with forest and/or ecosystem conservation or restoration) through regenerative, sustainable, and Carbon Positive (+) agriculture and/or livestock practices.

Furthermore, we formulate and/or develop, or co-develop in alliance with third parties, C+ agricultural projects. Since 2012, we have provided technology transfer through consultancies to public and private sector entities in countries such as Nicaragua (via the Inter-American Development Bank -IDB-), Costa Rica (via the United Nations Development Programme -UNDP-), Ecuador (via the Decentralized Autonomous Government -GAD- of Limón Indanza), Mexico (via the Regional Livestock Union of Northern Veracruz -UGRNV- and the Agricultural Trust Funds -FIRA-), and Honduras (via the NGO Heifer International), among others.

We work directly with individual livestock producers who seek our personalized training and advice on implementing Regenerative Livestock Farming through Voisin Rational Grazing (VRG/PRV) technology, either in-person (when possible) or remotely.

We are currently allied with the Verra ID3927 Carbon Credits Project for Regenerative and Sustainable Livestock in Colombia (called "Carbono Vivo" project), led by the consultancy Carbono Local + (from Germany). >> See more about this

If you are an agro-producer or livestock farmer and wish to transform your land into C+ Productive Ecosystems, and to learn about our Catalog of Services for direct and personalized advice, contact us via WhatsApp.

Conclusion

Being CARBON POSITIVE (C+) is a crucial goal for combating climate change across all sectors of society, including the agricultural sector (which is a strategic key sector and can become the planet and humanity's best ally in this regard), and building a more sustainable future. By adopting sustainable practices and supporting initiatives, we can all contribute to a healthier and more resilient planet.