10. Why regenerating the Earth’s soil carbon sponge must be our key point of agency and action (Walter Jehne)

The above brief outline of the key hydrological processes that govern much of the hydration, heat dynamics and cooling of the blue planet reinforce how closely this sequence of natural processes are interconnected and sensitively balanced to regulate much of our regional and global climate.

They reinforce how directly and critical key microbial, vegetation and land management factors are in creating this hydrology, balancing these climate processes and effects and through these much of the productivity and resilience of the bio-systems, we depend on fundamentally for our survival.

They also reinforce the critical reality that all of life, these bio-systems and our climate and its re-stabilization depends on, and is, governed by water.  Water that is supplied from the Earth’s soil carbon sponge and is returned to it via rain; to sustain a continuous efficient beneficial cycle. Without that soil carbon sponge this hydrological cycle, our stable climate, and bio-systems could not have evolved, continue to function or sustain as small fraction of the Earth’s terrestrial productivity.

As such and as in nature in creating these bio-systems regenerating and protecting the Earth’s soil carbon sponge is the key determinant to secure these natural processes, balances, and outcomes.

Regenerating the Earth’s soil carbon sponge is also the only point of agency we have through which to now repair our degradation and hope to secure our essential needs and future, hopefully in time.

We are responsible. To be so we must also be response-able. We can do so practically and in time but only by regenerating the Earth’s soil carbon sponge and through this the natural safe hydrological, climate and bio-systems outcomes essential in our existential self-interest.