For Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
About The Authors
Lead Authors
Sarah Garland | Triple Helix
Amanda Schaible | Synthesis Capital
Rosie Wardle | Synthesis Capital
T r i p l e H e l i x I n s t i t u t e f o r A g r i c u l t u r e , C l i m a t e , a n d S o c i e t y i s
a 5 0 1 ( c ) ( 3 ) n o n p r o f i t d e d i c a t e d t o b u i l d i n g a w a r e n e s s o f t h e r o l e
A g T e c h c a n p l a y i n c l i m a t e a c t i o n a n d f i n d i n g s o l u t i o n s f o r h o w
A g T e c h c a n b e i m p l e m e n t e d t o b e n e f i t s o c i e t y . E m p h a s i z i n g
u n i t y b e h i n d c o m m o n g o a l s a n d c o m m i t m e n t t o s h a r e d v a l u e s ,
T r i p l e H e l i x p r e s e n t s a n u a n c e d a n d e v i d e n c e - b a s e d
p e r s p e c t i v e o n e m e r g i n g A g Te c h i n n o v a t i o n s .
Why does reducing greenhouse gas emissions matter?
Gases that create a heat-trapping effect are called greenhouse gases (GHGs). As GHGs reach higher concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere, less heat is able to escape, warming the planet.
To date, the GHG that has gotten the most attention is carbon dioxide. But there are many types of GHGs; the ones most responsible for heat-trapping in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and fluorinated gases.
Throughout time, GHGs have been present in Earth’s atmosphere. But human activities have increased the level of GHGs to a dangerous point, higher than at any other time in at least 800,000 years Carbon dioxide concentration increased by 47% since the start of industrial times in the 1700s, methane by 156%, and nitrous oxide by 23% - collectively a rate far greater than the expected nat ural fluctuations of GHGs over millennia [1].
As GHG concentrations rise, global average temperatures rise, and so does the likelihood and severity of extreme weather events like heat waves, torrential rains, and droughts [1]. This climate change resulting from GHG emissions threatens our survival as humans on Earth.
Entire regions are becoming unsuitable for growing food, coastlines are disappearing, and heatrelated mortality is increasing. Conditions like these will not manifest in equal ways around the globe, but all geographies are already experiencing effects of climate change [1].
Under all scenarios, it is estimated that surface temperature will continue to increase at least into the middle of the 21st century due to GHGs already in the atmosphere [1]. Continuing on our current course is not a viable option. Reduction of GHG emissions and facilitation of long-term sequestration of carbon currently in the atmosphere are critical for ensuring a habitable future on Earth
What is the relationship between agriculture and GHG emissions?
Agricultural production systems are responsible for almost a quarter of total global human-caused GHG emissions [4]. Livestock production alone contributes about 15% of global human-caused GHG emissions [5]. As demand for animal-derived products increases globally, agricultural GHG emissions are expected to rise 30-40% by 2050 in business-as-usual scenarios [6]. Agricultural emissions consist primarily of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.
Each GHG exhibits a different level of heat-trapping and remains in the atmosphere for a different length of time. This potency can be reported as Global Warming Potential (GWP) in order to have a standard metric among GHGs GWP indicates how much energy 1 ton of a certain gas traps in the atmosphere compared to 1 ton of carbon dioxide over a defined amount of time [2] GWP20 refers to a 20-year time span, while GWP100 refers to a 100-year time span.
Nitrous oxide has a GWP20 273 and GWP100 273 [3], meaning that over both timeframes, its potency is 273 times higher than carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide that we emit today will last in the atmosphere for more than 100 years [2]
Methane has a GWP20 around 80 times higher than carbon dioxide and GWP100 around 30 times higher than carbon dioxide [3]. While its lifetime in the atmosphere is shorter than that of carbon dioxide, it is extremely powerful at trapping heat during that time Also due to its short lifetime, if human activities completely stopped emitting new methane today, in about 30 years methane concentration in the atmosphere would return to pre-industrial levels
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Carbon dioxide is emitted across agricultural production systems. Conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural land is a primary driver of carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture, as the carbon stored in forests and peatlands is released when they are cut down or drained. Deforestation and peatland degradation for agricultural expansion alone were responsible for around 10% of total human-caused carbon dioxide emissions in 2017 [6] Demand for animal products like meat and dairy drives the majority of this land use change; expanding animal pastures and cropland for growing animal feed is the cause of 67% of total global deforestation due to agriculture [7].
In addition to land use change, energy-intensive processes to create agrichemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, on-farm fossil fuel based equipment, and unsustainable soil management practices also emit carbon dioxide [5, 6].
Reducing carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture will require halting land use conversion, protecting and restoring soils, and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Nitrous Oxide Emissions
emissions When fertilizer is applied to a field, only about half of the nitrogen is actually absorbed by the crop plants in a given growing season [8] Unabsorbed nitrogen in the soil can be directly converted by microbes into nitrous oxide and other gaseous types of nitrogen that are released into the atmosphere. It can also leach from the soil into waterways and be converted into nitrous oxide off the farm From 2000-2018, global nitrous oxide emissions from livestock manure and synthetic fertilizer increased by more than 20% and 30%, respectively [9].
Limiting the amount or changing the type of fertilizer applied, optimizing the timing of fertilizer application, improving absorption efficiency of fertilizer, and fertilizer application closer to crop roots are all strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture while maintaining crop yield [8, 10].
Enteric fermentation, part of the digestive process of ruminant animals (like cattle and sheep) generates methane Storing animal manure also generates methane Combined, the methane from livestock makes up over 30% of human-caused methane emissions [11].
Standing water in flooded rice paddies creates a low-oxygen environment where methane producing microorganisms flourish, resulting in about 8% of anthropogenic methane emissions [11] Major rice growing countries China and India are together responsible for half the methane emissions from rice [12].
Slashing methane emissions from animal agriculture and rice would have a relatively immediate impact due to methane’s potency as a greenhouse gas and its shorter lifetime in the atmosphere.
What role can AgTech play in reducing GHG emissions?
AgTech can play an important role in reducing GHG emissions from agriculture, across carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane.
Efficacy of AgTech solutions will vary by production system and geographic region. Therefore, decision-making on how to employ these tools needs to be context-specific. The examples presented here are not exhaustive, and entire scientific fields will continue to emerge as innovation advances.
Maximum impact of AgTech for reducing GHG emissions will result from integrating diverse interventions, particularly combining these innovations with evidence-based land management practices.
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Agriculture Technology (AgTech for short) refers to technological innovations applied to the production of goods traditionally reliant upon land-based agriculture. AgTech tools are diverse: they include biotechnologies like genetic engineering, digital tools like artificial intelligence, and mechanical advances like sensors and robotics
These technologies can improve current methods of land-based production, such as creating drought-tolerant crops, or they can be used to shift the way a product is made to no longer require land in the ways it has traditionally
AgTech Can Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Increasing crop yield per unit of land can allow us to grow more without further expanding the area required for agricultural fields [13, 14], decreasing carbon dioxide emissions. Many efforts are ongoing to engineer plants to achieve increased yield. One emerging strategy involves designing more efficient photosynthetic pathways in order to convert more energy from the sun into useful biomass [15]
Shifting production of animal (or other resource intensive) proteins, fats, and oils to approaches that require less land can evolve supply chains away from conversion of natural ecosystems and foster further reductions in land use demand for agriculture [16]. These tools could relieve land pressure while supporting human needs, decreasing carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation. While questions remain regarding how to economically and sustainably scale some of these technologies [17], recent advancements demonstrate that rapid progress is being made in increasing efficiency and driving down costs [18].
Plant-based technologies continue to progress, incorporating techniques like fiber spinning or 3-D printing to advance taste and texture possibilities of plant ingredients
Precision fermentation techniques harness the power of microorganisms like bacteria and yeast to produce valuable ingredients while aiming to alleviate conversion of natural ecosystems - for example, creating dairy whey without a cow
Molecular farming methods employ crop plants to generate ingredients that are biologically equivalent to their animal-derived analog – like engineering soybeans to produce dairy casein.
Cultivated meat technologies culture real animal cells in bioreactors to create meat products without the land and feed resources required to raise animals.
Single cell technologies cultivate microorganisms like yeast, bacteria, and algae in controlled environments to produce protein-rich biomass, which can be harvested directly for use as alternative protein products or can be added as ingredients in other applications.
AgTech Can Facilitate Carbon Sequestration
AgTech can accelerate ongoing efforts to keep carbon sequestered in soils and increase the amount of atmospheric carbon that can be drawn into and stored in soils.
Remote sensing and data driven analysis can help monitor land management that prevents soil carbon release, measure the efficacy of agricultural practices that aim to sequester more carbon in the soil, and assess optimal interventions for varying regions [19].
Strategies are in development to genetically engineer plants and microbes to more efficiently capture carbon and keep it buried underground [20, 21].
Reducing agriculture’s land footprint by increasing crop yield or shifting production methods (as described above) can open opportunities to restore native habitats, an important part of sequestering carbon and regenerating soils [22].
underground. Various initiatives are underway to employ engineered soil microbes to deliver the components of fertilizer to plants without releasing excess nitrogen in the soil [23].
Reducing the amount of fertilizer crop plants need to thrive can also help curb nitrogen application. Genetically engineering crop plants to more efficiently uptake and store nitrogen can diminish the need for fertilizer [13, 20, 21].
More targeted temporal and spatial application of fertilizer, whether synthetic chemicals or emerging fertilizer innovations, can increase efficiency. Digital tools like computer vision, machine learning, and artificial intelligence assessments can guide highly spatially precise automated application of fertilizer and improve emissions monitoring. Collecting and analyzing data with methods like remote sensing can help assess and predict optimal timing of fertilizer application [19].
AgTech Can Reduce Methane Emissions
Shifting away from production systems that currently rely upon ruminant animals is key for reducing methane emissions from agriculture. Innovations in plant-based and single-cell technologies produce animal-free protein-rich ingredients Cultivated meat, precision fermentation, and molecular farming produce biologically identical animal products without animals, avoiding methane emissions. While questions remain regarding how to economically and sustainably scale some of these technologies [17], recent advancements demonstrate that rapid progress is being made in increasing efficiency and driving down costs [18]
Many efforts are ongoing to reduce methane emissions from rice production without negatively affecting yield Researchers are exploring using genetic engineering to develop rice plants and associated microbial communities that generate less methane [12].
AgTech solutions can also reduce GHG emissions downstream in supply chains, like those from food loss and waste. Around 30% of the food we produce is lost or wasted [6] Losses occur at many stages of the supply chain, from pests and diseases that devastate crops in the field, to spoilage during transit, and over-purchasing at the retailer and individual level Primary causes of food loss and waste differ substantially in different regions of the world.
Uneaten food that ends up in landfills is a particularly problematic source of methane [24] Food waste in landfills decomposes in an oxygen-free and high moisture environment, the ideal living conditions for bacteria that release methane as they break down the food waste
Innovations like genetically engineered non-browning produce can help fruits and vegetables remain desirable for longer [25], reducing food waste at the consumer and retailer level Meanwhile, data driven innovations like remote sensing of landfill methane can help quantify emissions and track efficacy of interventions [26]
AgTECH FOR REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Agricultural production systems are responsible for almost a quarter of total global human-caused GHG emissions. Livestock production alone contributes about 15% of global human-caused GHG emissions. Agricultural emissions consist primarily of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane. AgTech can play an important role in reducing these GHG emissions.
CARBON DIOXIDE CO2
Deforestation and peatland degradation for agricultural expansion alone were responsible for around 10% of total human-caused carbon dioxide emissions in 2017.
Expanding animal pastures and cropland for growing animal feed is the cause of 67% of total global deforestation due to agriculture.
AgTech Solutions
Genetic engineering of crops can achieve increased yield per unit of land, allowing us to grow more without further expanding the area required for agricultural fields. Genetic tools can also be used to develop plants and microbes that more efficiently capture carbon and keep it buried underground.
Shifting production of proteins, fats, and oils to methods that require less land like precision fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based innovation, single cell techniques, and molecular farming can evolve supply chains away from conversion of natural ecosystems.
Remote sensing and data driven analysis can help monitor land management practices that prevent soil carbon release and assess optimal interventions for varying regions.
Agricultural production is responsible for 81% of human-caused nitrous oxide emissions, principally resulting from livestock manure and synthetic crop fertilizers. From 2000-2018, global nitrous oxide emissions from livestock manure and synthetic fertilizer increased by more than 20% and 30%, respectively.
AgTech Solutions
Changing the type of fertilizer input, like with engineered soil microbes, can reduce the excess nitrogen in soil without sacrificing crop productivity.
Genetically engineering crop plants to more efficiently uptake and store nitrogen can diminish the need for fertilizer.
Computer vision, machine learning, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence assessments can guide spatially precise automated application of fertilizer and predict optimal timing of fertilizer application.
Roughly 45% of human-caused methane emissions are from agricultural production, driven by livestock and rice cultivation. The methane from livestock makes up over 30% of human-caused methane emissions.
AgTech Solutions
Shifting production of proteins, fats, and oils to methods like precision fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based innovation, single cell techniques, and molecular farming can satisfy human needs without relying on methane-emitting animals.
Genetic engineering of rice plants and their associated microbial communities can be applied to decrease methane emissions.
Swiftly reducing GHG emissions is critical for maintaining a habitable planet, and our current pace of action is insufficient. AgTech offers tangible, scalable solutions for reducing GHG emissions from agriculture and must be prioritized for investment, policy attention, and public support.
NITROUS OXIDE N2O
METHANE CH4
What levers need to align for implementation of AgTech to reduce GHG emissions?
Implementing AgTech for reducing GHG emissions depends on many factors, not only technical capacity. What additional mechanisms need to be activated to catalyze implementation of AgTech for reducing emissions?
Effective Measurement Methods
Reducing GHG emissions from agriculture requires diverse approaches, and efficacy of different strategies will vary significantly by region and product. Accurate measurement and data analysis must therefore be prioritized to ensure that resources are being allocated to evidence-informed interventions.
In some cases, developing new metrics may be necessary. AgTech can play a role in improving these quantification tools as well as improving practices in the field. Additionally, continued improvement and standardization of emissions accounting for agriculture is key to consistently quantify across geographies and assess progress toward achieving emissions reduction targets
Consumer Acceptance of Technology
Many areas of AgTech have already faced harsh public pushback, in large part because of a perceived disconnect between advancing AgTech and cultural values Consumer reluctance to shift diets is also a barrier to acceptance of certain AgTech solutions Increasing awareness of the potential nutritional and climate benefits of AgTech tools, demonstrating these solutions can provide equivalent or superior products, and encouraging transparency from AgTech stakeholders can build societal support for the responsible use of AgTech to help achieve emissions reduction goals.
Sustainable Finance
Agricultural production systems are severely underinvested relative to their climate impact. Despite being responsible for almost 25% of GHG emissions, only 3% of climate finance is directed to agricultural production [27]. In addition to private and philanthropic capital, governments have a significant role to play in supporting AgTech solutions that reduce emissions The public sector can directly fund AgTech development through grants, as well as encouraging external investment in the space by setting ambitious emissions reduction targets, driving demand for AgTech products, and shifting existing subsidies away from highemissions agricultural products and toward AgTech innovation
Conclusion
Swiftly reducing GHG emissions is critical for maintaining a
habitable planet.
Our current pace of action is insufficient, and emissions from agriculture must drastically decrease in order to achieve our climate targets [28].
To effectively address emissions from agriculture, interventions must focus on regional contexts and be informed by data and evidence AgTech offers tangible, scalable solutions for reducing GHG emissions and must be prioritized for investment, policy attention, and public support.
References
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank individuals who reviewed and provided comments on this report including: Matthew Hayek (New York University), Shelby McClelland (New York University), Rob Paarlberg (Harvard Kennedy School), Dietram Scheufele (University of Wisconsin), Dan Voytas (University of Minnesota).
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