Final Conference
We are pleased to invite you to the Carbon 4 Soil Quality Final Conference “Carbon Farming: Benefits in the Mediterranean region” a premier event dedicated to exploring the future of sustainable agriculture through carbon farming. The conference will take place on 10 December 2025 in Thessaloniki, Greece and will be hosted by Aristotle University Research Dissemination Center. Online participation will also be possible.
This gathering will bring together experts, policymakers, farmers, researchers, and key stakeholders from across Europe to share knowledge, strategies, and policy frameworks aimed at implementing and scaling up carbon farming practices. Join us in this important conversation for a climate-resilient future!
Keynote
Prof. Thomas Kätterer
Thomas Kätterer is a Professor in ecosystem ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. His research interests include carbon cycling in agricultural systems and how carbon cycling is affected by land use and management.
Title of the presentation: Soil carbon sequestration for climate change adaptation and mitigation
Speakers
Michels Ambrus
Michels Ambrus is a Programme Manager at BlackSoil, specialising in regenerative agriculture initiatives, carbon credit systems, and strategies for enhancing soil carbon sequestration across European farmlands.
Title of the presentation: Regenerative Agriculture – The only solution on croplands and grasslands
Prof. Miguel L. Cabrera
Miguel L. Cabrera is a Professor of Soil Science at the University of Georgia, focusing on nutrient cycling, particularly the use of animal manures and nitrogen transformations in soils, as well as modelling nitrogen release from soil organic matter.
Title of the presentation: Mechanisms and rates of C sequestration associated with cover cropping practices
Dr. Bettina Fähnrich
Dr. Bettina Fähnrich (Öko-Beratungs Gesellschaft mbH) is a crop scientist and researcher with expertise in applied botany, active in carbon farming and soil-related projects.
Title of the presentation: CARBON FARMING – Two years of experience, trials, results & biological background
Sheila Darmos
Sheila Darmos (The Southern Lights) is a third generation farmer and social entrepreneur in the agri-food sector and civic engagement field enabling systemic transitions in her own physical and social environment, the farming and rural communities in Greece.
Title of the presentation: Uptake by farmers of carbon sequestration practices in Greece. Case studies, challenges, and pathways.
Dr. Carlos Alberto Torres Guerrero
Carlos Alberto Torres Guerrero is a Soil scientist in BETA Centre (UVIC), specialising in soil micromorphology, fertility, and sustainable land management. Currently, he is the technical coordinator of the Carbon Farming MED project.
Title of the presentation: TBD
Dr. Panos Panagos
Panos Panagos is a senior scientist at JRC (Joint Research Centre, European Commission). He has more than 24 years’ experience in environmental modelling and policy development in the European Commission. Panos Panagos is the Project leader of the EU Soil Observatory (EUSO). He leads the innovative soil health assessments such as the ones in soil erosion, soil organic carbon, soil nutrients and diffuse pollution. He has more than 240 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and he has been awarded the Web of Science highly influential scientist award (7,000 influential researchers worldwide) for the last 7 years (2019-2025).
Title of the presentation: Soil organic carbon stocks in European topsoils
Thanos Arampatzis
Thanos Arampatzis is a Project Manager at reframe.food. He holds a Diploma in Chemical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MSc in Pharmaceutical Design & Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark, and a PhD in Bioengineering/Pharmaceutical Technology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. With a solid background spanning both industry and academia, Thanos brings extensive experience in research methodologies and project management to his role. Throughout his career, Thanos has been involved in managing and implementing interdisciplinary research projects at both European and national levels.
Title of the presentation: Overview of the CARBONICA Excellence Hub
Stavroula Dimitriadi
Stavroula Dimitriadi is an Assistant Researcher at the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, working on the CARBONICA project. Her research focuses on the implementation of best carbon farming practices in the Mediterranean region, with a particular emphasis on Cyprus pilot sites.
Title of the presentation: Integrating carbon farming practices in the Mediterranean region through CARBONICA project: Case study of Cyprus pilot sites
Daphne Kitsou
Daphne Kitsou (AUTH/iBEC) is an agronomist specialising in the credibility and comparability of carbon credits, transparent emissions reporting, and life cycle assessment (LCA) approaches in soil and carbon projects.
Title of the presentation: Carbonica Excellence Hub: Advancing Carbon Farming Knowledge, MRV Practice and Policy in the Euro-MED Region
Giampaolo Sarno
Giampaolo Sarno is the manager of Sustainable Agriculture Sector for the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). He is a senior agronomist, specialised in sustainable soil management and the enhancement of soil organic matter in Mediterranean agricultural systems.
Title of the presentation: Rural Development in the perspective of Soil Health in Emilia Romagna Region
Conference
Programme
The conference will feature three focused sessions. You can find a more detailed programme HERE.
Session 1 – Carbon 4 Soil Quality
- Introduction to Carbon 4 Soil Quality project (Darko Ferčej)
- Better understanding of carbon farming benefits for quality of soil and CO2 reduction (Francesco Morari)
- Building a solid foundation for testing carbon farming in Euro-MED area (Simon Ograjšek)
Session 2 - Carbon Farming for Climate Action
- Mechanisms and rates of C sequestration associated with cover cropping practices (Miguel L. Cabrera)
- Regenera.cat, a network of regenerative farms in Catalonia: results of their comparison with conventional farms (Javier Retana)
- Carbon Farming – Two years of experience: Trials, results & biological background (Bettina Fähnrich)
- Uptake by farmers of carbon sequestration practices in Greece. Case studies, challenges, and pathways (Sheila Darmos)
- Integrating carbon farming practices in the Mediterranean region through CARBONICA project: Case study of Cyprus pilot sites (Stavroula Dimitriadi)
- Soil organic carbon stocks in European topsoils (Panos Panagos)
- Regenerative Agriculture – The only solution on croplands and grasslands (Michels Ambrus)
Session 3 – Policy and Carbon Markets
- Overview of the CARBONICA Excellence Hub (Thanos Arampatzis)
- The CFMED platform for quantifying potential carbon removals (under development). Empowering Mediterranean Carbon Farming Through Digital Innovation and Predictive Tools (Carlos Alberto Torres Guerrero)
- Carbonica Excellence Hub: Advancing Carbon Farming Knowledge, MRV Practice and Policy in the Euro-MED Region (Daphne Kitsou)
- Rural Development in the perspective of Soil Health in Emilia Romagna Region (Giampaolo Sarno)
VENUE
Aristotle University Research Dissemination Center (KEDEA)
