Simple changes to agricultural practices could cut greenhouse gas emissions and halt the looming climate calamity

The recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have increased by over 100 parts per million by volume (ppmv) since pre-industrial times, reaching about 385 ppmv. If we continue burning fossil fuels, climate models calculate that by 2100, global average temperatures near the surface could increase by 5°C compared to pre-industrial times, causing catastrophic effects on planetary processes that will lead to a serious negative impact on our society.

Globally, energy crops are being used to mitigate future CO2 emissions. The concept is relatively simple – as plants grow they draw-down atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis. If they are then used to generate energy, the CO2 released will have previously been taken out of the atmosphere in the recent past (unlike mined fossil fuels) and will not raise atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Crops like Miscanthus Giganteus absorb as much carbon as they release when burnt, so there is no net increase in CO2 into the atmosphere.
Miscanthus Giganteus is a 'sterile hybrid perennial rhizomatous' C4-grass species with a high energy balance associated with a high carbon balance. This means for every one part of man-made carbon inputs needed to grow and harvest it, 53 parts are absorbed by the crop from the environment.
Harvested for co-firing in late winter, the crop is potentially carbon neutral, because only the carbon fixed by photosynthesis in the previous growing season is released when the crop is co-fired with coal, saving an equivalent amount of fossil fuel carbon from coal. Thus a significant quantity of emissions can be prevented by co-firing. In addition to its positive energy balance (particularly when compared with other energy crops such as rapeseed), Miscanthus Giganteus can sequester large amounts of carbon underground for a long period (over 100 years).
Long-term annual cropping reduces soil carbon, and arable soils typically contain less than 2% carbon. Non-cultivation of arable land typically increases soil carbon. Land typically contains 130 to 650 tonnes of carbon per hectare, so the potential for carbon sequestration with Miscanthus Giganteus can be considerable.