Climate is closely related to agriculture, scientists warn
According to experts, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture could significantly mitigate climate change. Therefore, they recommend that global warming negotiations focus on it.
If climate change talks are to lead to a meaningful outcome (in terms of emission reductions and adaptation to global warming), the agriculture sector must not be overlooked, says the main conclusion of a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
It is already clear today that global warming will have a heavy impact on agricultural production, but so far there is a “high degree of uncertainty” over the time horizon and severity of the consequences.
Agriculture is not mentioned at all during climate talks, though it accounts for about 14% of the global greenhouse gas emissions and has a major role in absorbing the CO2 produced by the other sectors of the economy.
According to the IFPRI, farmers can make a significant contribution to the mitigation of global warming, in particular through “changes in technology and management practices”. At the same time, agriculture causes greater emissions in developing countries than in developed ones.
“One of the key issues in agriculture is the reduction of its chemical, especially nitrogenous, fertilisers. Nitrogen emissions from agriculture have a negative impact on the climate, much like CO2 emissions from the energy industry and other industries,” said director Dalibor Dostal of the European Wildlife conservation organization. “In Europe, therefore, the share of agricultural land that is subject to organic farming should grow significantly,” added Dostal.
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