6 Ways We Can Cut Emissions And Feed The Planet
The agricultural industry in the United States is one of the most productive in the world. 2.6 million people are employed growing food and other products. Over 20% of what we produce is shipped around the world, making the US the largest exporter of agricultural products globally. But, while we’ve come a long way in efficiency and productivity, we still have a lot more work to do to feed the growing population while holding the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees, the level which scientists agree is necessary to limit the worst effects of climate change.
The World Resource Institute has researched 6 ways that U.S. agriculture can reduce emissions while also increasing food production.
Boost productivity
Farmers in the US are getting better and better at producing more food per acre of land. In fact, from 1997-2017, wheat productivity (in bushels per acre) increased 23%, soybean productivity 28%, and corn productivity 42%.
The meat industry has also become more efficient. From 1977-2007, US meat farms used 33% less land, 12% less water, and produced 16% less emissions per pound of beef.
But, we need to do even better. In order to meet the growing worldwide demand for food, the United States will have to find ways to produce more food on less areas of land. The WRI recommends following a “produce and protect” approach, meaning that we need to both support research into high productivity crops and protect our forests by making land conservation a criteria for crop insurance and other farm subsidies.
Reduce livestock emissions
Livestock production accounts for more than 40% of U.S. agricultural emissions. Cow burps, manure, and emissions from growing livestock feed make up most of that pollution. Investing in research can help us find new ways to lower these emissions, while still keeping productivity high.
Reduce emissions from fertilizer use
Almost half of US agricultural emissions come from the use of synthetic fertilizers and manure, mostly in the form of nitrous oxide. A number of promising techniques already exist to reduce these emissions including nitrification inhibitors (keeping soil nitrogen usable for crops for a longer period of time), microbes that allow crops to fix their own nitrogen so they don’t need to rely on fertilizer, processes to use renewable energy to create synthetic fertilizers, more precise fertilizer management, and consistent use of cover crops like legumes which add nitrogen while preventing nutrient runoff. Policy incentives can encourage more farmers to use these techniques.
Support on-farm renewable energy and energy efficiency
Around 6% of agricultural production emissions in the United States come from farm equipment and other energy use. Investing in more efficient equipment and buildings can drastically reduce these emissions.
Stabilize and sequester carbon in vegetation and soils
Integrating trees into agricultural land can increase the amount of carbon that’s stored, thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. A federal investment of 4.5 billion dollars a year would help farmers plant 15 billion new trees, storing up to 136 million tons of CO2 per year while providing new sources of income from fruit, nuts, or timber.
Reduce food loss and waste
While efforts that focus on individual consumer’s food waste are helpful, a bigger impact can be made by targeting the larger agricultural industry with programs that assist farmers in redistributing unsold food, technologies to better link farmers with restaurants and stores, and public support for farmers during periods of economic hardship.
With sufficient research and investment, we can ensure that we meet the growing global demand for food, while protecting the planet for our children and generations to come.