UNDO’s Enhanced Rock Weathering Featured on BBC Countryfile – Revolutionising Farming and Fighting Climate Change

In a brand new episode of BBC Countryfile, UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering took centre stage in the quest for sustainable farming practices that combat climate change. Here, we share the highlights of this exciting feature, spotlighting how UNDO’s carbon removal technology is making a difference.

BBC Countryfile episode recap

The episode, aired on Sunday 19th November 2023, takes us to two farms at different ends of the country, where farmers are seeking innovative climate solutions. At our first location, Countryfile presenter and farmer Adam Henson is joined on his farm in the Cotswolds by UNDO’s Founder Jim Mann for a deep dive into the climate tech benefits and incredible potential of enhanced rock weathering. We also hear from UNDO’s Agronomist Jez Wardman, who talks about the soil health benefits of spreading basalt rock on agricultural land. 

Next, we travel to Oxenfoord Farm and Livery just outside of Edinburgh, where farmers Mike and Laura Blackwood, along with their son Cameron, give insight into how UNDO works with farmers and landowners to pioneer sustainable farming solutions with a positive climate impact.

Enhanced weathering as a climate tech solution

In the Cotswolds, UNDO’s Founder Jim Mann explained enhanced rock weathering, the science that powers UNDO’s climate tech. Jim discussed how it offers permanent carbon removal at a rate significantly faster than natural weathering. The tangible benefits for farmers were also spotlighted, with a focus on the nutrients – including calcium, magnesium, phosphate and potassium – that silicate rocks such as basalt deliver to the soil they are spread on. 

Alongside the upsides for farmers, Jim shared the staggering environmental potential of UNDO’s climate solution.

“In the UK alone, enhanced rock weathering has the potential to remove up to 30 million tonnes of CO₂ per year – enough to address 45% of the UK’s annual emissions.”

Kantzas, E.P., Val Martin, M., Lomas, M.R. et al. Substantial carbon drawdown potential from enhanced rock weathering in the United Kingdom. Nat. Geosci. 15, 382–389 (2022).

UNDO’s contribution to carbon removal

Central to the Countryfile feature was UNDO’s role in removing atmospheric carbon dioxide and how their enhanced rock weathering operation works: 

1. UNDO partners with local quarries to procure crushed silicate rock, like basalt.

2. The basalt is spread on agricultural land by local contractors, where it interacts with carbonic acid in rainfall to permanently draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

3. The carbon dioxide removal process takes place over the lifetime of the rock.

4. Farmers reduce their carbon footprint and enjoy soil health benefits, such as increased crop health and yield.

5. UNDO’s climate tech solution generates high-quality, verified carbon credits, which can be sold to businesses of all sizes, including large corporations looking to make progress on their net zero journey.

How farmers and landowners benefit from UNDO’s climate solution

Countryfile presenter Adam Henson chatted to UNDO’s Agronomist Jez Wardman, who dug into the benefits enhanced rock weathering delivers for the land on which the rock is spread. Jez noted the alkalising effect crushed basalt rock has on soil, steadily increasing the soil’s pH, or maintaining it at a healthy level. Following on from Jim’s discussion on the nutrients released into the soil by UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering technology, Jez highlighted that this can even reduce the need to apply certain fertilisers to land, bringing down costs for farmers.

UNDO’s crushed rock can be spread on farms of all types – arable, beef, dairy, sheep and mixed. If you’re a farmer or landowner looking for ways to reduce your climate impact without sacrificing land used for food production, get in touch with us today to start a conversation.

A carbon removal case study

The feature concluded with a trip to Oxenfoord Farm and Livery just outside of Edinburgh, one of 136 farms currently trialling UNDO’s climate change solution. On the day of filming, the farm took delivery of 1,500 tonnes of basalt rock. This volume of mineral-rich basalt is enough to remove approximately 375 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while also delivering vital nutrients to boost soil health and increase crop yield for 75 hectares of land. We saw the ease with which the rock was spread on the farm’s hay and haylage field and heard directly from the Blackwoods on what drew them to UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering technology.

Mike shared that boosting the nutrient content of the soil was a big part of their interest in partnering with UNDO. He liked how UNDO uses local contractors to spread the basalt, shining a light on its commitment to supporting green jobs in rural communities. Laura mentioned that they’d already been interested in supplementing their use of fertilisers – UNDO’s climate tech provided an easy and effective solution that allows them, as Cameron notes, to contribute to food security while positively impacting the climate.

“I think this technique is a great thing to be applied alongside artificial fertilisers. It’s definitely going to help.”

Cameron Blackwood, Oxenfoord Farm and Livery

The BBC Countryfile climate change feature highlighted the pivotal role UNDO is playing in creating sustainable farming practices and a liveable future for the planet. Through offering viewers an accessible breakdown of the science behind its climate technology, as well as diving into its many co-benefits and providing powerful testimonials from farmers, the episode made a strong case for enhanced rock weathering as the future of carbon removal.

Whether you’re an individual interested in offsetting your carbon footprint or a business looking to remove carbon dioxide as part of your sustainability goals, you have the power to make a tangible impact in the fight against climate change. Subscribe to one of our individual carbon removal packages, or get in touch with our business team to begin your carbon removal journey today.

Watch UNDO on BBC Countryfile

See UNDO’s enhanced rock weathering solution take centre stage in the quest for sustainable farming practices that combat climate change.

Watch here