Agriculture and the changing climate

Abstract

This paper summarizes the information on agriculture and climate change. Global climate change is occurring with temperature rising more rapidly in the last 100 years than in the previous recent times. Anthropogenic CO2 is the major GHG contributing to climate change, but CH4 and N2O—originating mainly from agriculture—also contribute. Thus, agriculture is a signifcant contributor, but also will be impacted. Many opportunities are identifed for mitigation and adaption by agriculture. Agriculture’s record in mitigation over the past 50 years is spectacular with global research investments to increase agricultural productivity while decreasing carbon emissions at low cost.