This study on regenerative agriculture explores the climate impact of current Fertiliser, Agrochemical, Tillage, Bare-soil, Agricultural Systems (FATBAS).
It takes the position that FATBAS is a significant factor in both driving the immediate land-based climate change impacts we are seeing, including ‘global drying’, drought, heating, flooding, fire and heat domes, and increasing the risks of extreme weather events.
FATBAS, by driving down soil carbon and related stored water, reduces the evapotranspiration of plants. This in turn reduces land-based moisture circulation in the form of rainfall. Evapotranspiration of plants cools the planet’s surface areas, whereas sunlight on bare soils heats both the region and the atmosphere.
It calls for FATBAS to be replaced by regenerative agriculture.