Sustainable Agriculture Strategies for Climate Adaptation and Mitigation: A Comprehensive Guide

Soils are foundational to food production, water regulation and biodiversity, while also representing one of the largest and most dynamic carbon reservoirs in the Earth system. The concept of soil health provides an integrated lens through which to evaluate how soils function under management and disturbance, linking biological activity, physical structure and chemical fertility with ecosystem services. In climate policy and corporate net-zero strategies, soil carbon sequestration is frequently presented as a readily deployable negative-emissions opportunity. Yet, scientific evidence shows that additional soil organic carbon accrual is constrained by biophysical limits, depends strongly on local context, and may be vulnerable to reversal under disturbance and warming. This review synthesises advances since 2006 on soil organic carbon stabilisation mechanisms, including mineral association, aggregation and microbial processing, and evaluates major management interventions such as reduced tillage, cover crops, diversified rotations, organic amendments and biochar, alongside land-use strategies that prioritise protection of existing stocks in wetlands and peatlands. It further examines methodological and governance issues for monitoring, reporting and verification, emphasising depth, spatial variability, baseline construction, additionality, permanence and leakage. Overall, soil health and climate mitigation are deeply connected through the role of soil organic carbon in sustaining soil function and influencing greenhouse gas balances. The review concludes that soil-based mitigation can contribute meaningfully to climate goals when framed as a portfolio of context-specific interventions that protect high-carbon soils, rebuild depleted stocks, and deliver adaptation co-benefits, while acknowledging uncertainties and the need for robust measurement and long-term stewardship.