Over the past few years, we’ve been building a large dataset on enhanced rock weathering – spanning different field sites, soil types, and measurement approaches, and collecting data across multiple growing seasons.
I’ve been closely involved in that work, so I have a pretty good sense of what’s in it. What I don’t know is how the field will interpret it once it’s fully out in the open.
The dataset brings together observations across different conditions and measurement setups. Some results are consistent, others depend heavily on local factors and how the measurements are taken. That’s typical when you work with systems like this. The data doesn’t point in a single direction, and it takes time to understand what drives the differences.
What matters is how this gets discussed and interpreted once more people start working with it.
That's the moment we're creating on 16 June. Instead of presenting a polished conclusion, we're opening up results from different scientists who have been working on our samples and inviting that discussion to happen in public. I expect some agreement, some disagreement, and hopefully a few insights that move the field forward.
And then on 17 June, we don't let that momentum sit. Fifty researchers and practitioners roll directly into hands-on workshops built around what Day 1 surfaces – to figure out what the field does next with what it just learned.
Carbon Drawdown Symposium 2026. Free, virtual. Registration link: https://events.carbon-drawdown.de/p/registration