Agriculture is a key consideration in global sustainability efforts: agricultural land accounts for half of all habitable land worldwide and 70 percent of freshwater withdrawals. Reaching a 1.5°C pathway will require changes that extend well beyond the farm, according to partner Vasanth Ganesan and coauthors. Sustainable food production, reducing food waste, and changing dietary practices may help achieve decarbonization goals while also meeting global food needs.
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A vertical bar graph projects the potential decrease in agricultural and forestry CO2 emissions by 2050. Without intervention, the 2050 forecast projects 14.4 gigatons of emissions. Sustainable food production methods could slash this by 2.3 gigatons. Reducing food loss and waste could cut it by another 1.2 gigatons. Shifting away from diets heavy in animal proteins could deduct an additional 3.4 gigatons. The largest decrease could come from land conservation and natural carbon sinks, potentially removing a significant 6.7 gigatons. The graph also hints at future technologies that could further reduce emissions, but the potential amount remains uncertain.
Note: Combined, these strategies could slightly exceed the emissions reductions required for the 2050 1.5-degree scenario, providing some flexibility to offset overlaps in reduction potential and any shortfalls in achieving targets.
Footnote: These values are measured in metric gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent, following the standards set for global warming potential in the 100-year scenario of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report.
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To read the report, see “The agricultural transition: Building a sustainable future,” June 27, 2023.