This study investigates non-biological soil CO₂ ventilation in a semiarid Mediterranean shrubland and standardizes the criteria for its detection. Ten ventilation events were identified during the SCARCE (Synchronized Characterization of Aerosol, Radon and Carbon dioxide Exchanges in drylands) campaign, with several atmospheric parameters acting as drivers. Surface pressure emerged as the primary driver at the site, while friction velocity and boundary layer turbulence were also found to be relevant, highlighting the value of Doppler lidar for soil–atmosphere exchange studies.