Layman's Terms Media

A new study released Wednesday by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Research (CGIAR) Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) shows that food and agriculture production accounts for almost 29 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, which are contributing to climate change. This number, 17,000 megatonnes of carbon dioxide annually, is alarming to scientists, who previously thought the number was much lower.

Food’s carbon “footprint” has major implications for the way food is produced and distributed, and developing countries are most at risk and may have to change the way they eat drastically.

In addition, as the earth starts to warm, key crops like maize, rice and wheat will decrease due to higher temperatures and rainfall becomes unpredictable. The researchers said this new finding shows how urgent climate change mitigation is, not only for the environment, but for food security. Continue reading →

Tags: agriculture, Bruce Campbell, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, CCAFS, CGIAR, climate change, food security, Frank Rijsberman, global warming, Philip Thornton, rebecca burton