AUTHORS: PRISCILLA AKOSAH, ZIKRA ARSHAD

ABSTRACT

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is the most extensive reservoir of terrestrial carbon but one of the least utilized mechanisms for mitigating climate change. This research presents a thematic literature review covering 23 scholarly articles written from 2021 to 2026 on four different themes concerning SOC: its role in the carbon cycle, the influence of land use and type of ecosystem on the amount of SOC stock, the efficiency of land management in increasing SOC stock, and the obstacles currently inhibiting its application to mitigate climate change and in the carbon market. The thematic review identifies that soil organic carbon is being depleted faster than it can be replenished, due to deforestation, improper agriculture, and warming global temperatures. Although techniques such as no-till agriculture, agroforestry, cover cropping, and biochar have shown potential for increasing SOC levels, they exhibit large variations when applied to different areas and settings. Important shortcomings can be found in the monitoring of SOC, its longevity, as well as our knowledge regarding sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America’s soils. In conclusion, this review suggests that there should be an effort to include SOC as a crucial element within the scope of global climate policy, as opposed to being a secondary choice.