Assessing Carbon in Dry Grasslands
Measuring the climate benefits of restoring Ukraine’s steppe ecosystems.
Dry grasslands are among Europe’s most threatened ecosystems, largely due to their conversion to cropland. This project is assessing how much carbon these ecosystems can store and sequester, showing their contribution to climate change mitigation and their potential role in preventing land degradation and desertification. It also explores the economic value of restored grasslands and how these benefits could support future carbon trading schemes.
In Ukraine, arable land covers around 57% of the country’s total area, one of the highest proportions in the world. Intensive agriculture has led to widespread soil degradation, now worsened by a warming and drying climate. As productivity declines, natural grasslands that help regulate water and store carbon are being lost.
Steppe ecosystems are the particular focus of this work. Although the steppe zone once covered about half of Ukraine, only a small fraction remains intact today. Restoration and sustainable management, including grazing, can improve soil health, support resilient local economies, and strengthen climate adaptation. Restoring steppe grasslands is also central to Ukraine’s national climate commitment to reduce cropland area to between 37 and 41 percent by 2025.
What the project will do
The project is using applied research to measure carbon storage and sequestration across steppe landscapes under different land uses. By quantifying these benefits, it aims to inform national policy and highlight the role of steppe restoration in achieving Ukraine’s climate goals.
Findings will help central government agencies better understand the importance of steppe ecosystems as carbon sinks and demonstrate their economic value to regional governments and local communities. The project is also building the evidence base for scientists and conservationists, strengthening their ability to advocate for large-scale dry grassland restoration.
Through this work, the project aims to shift perceptions of the steppe from marginal land to a valuable climate asset and to support policy and market mechanisms that make its restoration both viable and desirable.
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