One-third of global emissions come from landscapes. Cutting down trees for alternative land uses, managing the soils and crops of farms, and keeping livestock all contribute to carbon emissions. However, there is huge potential for reducing these emissions, for example through setting aside certain areas for planting trees while selecting plots for farm activities. At the same time, climate-induced extreme weather events are causing harvests to fail – therefore, securing access to nutritious food plays a key role in adapting to climate change. Still, agriculture does not play a major role in UNFCCC negotiations, while the contribution of forests to mitigation is largely addressed through REDD+.
Tell us what you think: how should land uses – agriculture, forestry and others – be addressed in UN climate change negotiations?
