Enhanced rock weathering in the European Union: Certification, monitoring and governance requirements for responsible carbon dioxide removal

Abstract

Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is moving from geochemical theory into agricultural, commercial, and regulatory practice. This Perspective argues that ERW should enter the European Union carbon-removal portfolio as a promising but conditional soil–climate practice, rather than as a ready-made carbon-credit product. Although silicate weathering can generate durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR), certification remains complicated by time lags, downstream carbon and alkalinity losses, lifecycle emissions, feedstock and site suitability, environmental challenges and uncertainty in field-scale quantification. The emerging EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Framework provides an opportunity to establish an ERW-specific methodology before large-scale crediting occurs. This work proposes that certification distinguish potential from certifiable CDR, combine empirical near-field measurements with conservative modelling of downstream processes, account explicitly for lifecycle emissions and uncertainty, and integrate feedstock, site-suitability and no-harm safeguards. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and soil-health policy can complement certification by supporting monitored deployment where tonne-for-tonne crediting remains premature.