A Rothamsted Research review of 422 studies challenges the idea that regenerative agriculture always lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Reduced tillage and zero tillage showed the most consistent climate benefits, including lower nitrous oxide and better soil methane uptake. But the same review found that mulching and certain fertiliser strategies can increase emissions depending on rainfall, soil type, and how the practices are managed. The study also found that crop rotations with legumes tended to lower carbon dioxide compared with continuous cereals, while nitrogen application rate remained a key driver of nitrous oxide emissions. The authors argue that conservation agriculture should not be treated as a single climate solution. Each practice needs to be evaluated separately, and local conditions matter when estimating real-world mitigation. The findings have implications for carbon credit methodologies that assume fixed emission reductions from regen farming. The study calls for more long-term field experiments and standardised greenhouse gas reporting to improve the evidence base.
