World Food Production Also Having Big Effect on Climate Change
2020-11-16
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1Most of the efforts aimed at reducing climate change center on reducing the use of fossil fuels.
2But a new study warns that pollution caused by the world's food production system is also a major driver of rising temperatures on the planet.
3The study found that if the world food system stays on its current growth path, it will produce nearly 1.4 trillion metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 80 years.
4That pollution is expected to come from fertilizers used in agriculture, mismanaged soil, food waste and methane gas released from cows and other animals.
5Other causes include land-clearing operations and deforestation.
6Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Oxford in Britain led the study, which recently appeared in the publication Science.
7The researchers predict that even if fossil fuel emissions were halted now, emissions from the world food system would make it impossible to reach current international climate change targets.
8They say that emissions from food production alone could push world temperatures past 1.5 degrees Celsius by the middle of this century and above 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
9A main goal of the 2015 United Nations Paris Agreement on climate change is to keep rises in the Earth's temperature during this century to between 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius.
10The U.N. has said that in order to stay below the 1.5 Celsius level, emissions must fall at least 7.6 percent each year through 2030.
11The new study calls for immediate "improvements in farming practices, as well as changes in what we eat and how much food we waste," to help reach the Paris Agreement goals.
12Jason Hill is a professor of biosystems engineering at the University of Minnesota. He helped lead the study.
13He said in a statement that the research clearly demonstrates that food has a much greater effect on climate change than is widely known.
14Hill also noted that fixing the problem would not require the world's population to completely stop eating meat.
15"The whole world doesn't have to give up meat for us to meet our climate goals," he told the Associated Press.
16"We can eat better, healthier foods. We can improve how we grow foods. And we can waste less food."
17The researchers say such efforts are achievable and can also lead to many other improvements beyond controlling climate change.
18These include making humans healthier, reducing water pollution, improving air quality, preventing animal extinctions and improving farm profitability.
19The study makes the following predictions:
20A nearly complete change to a plant-rich diet around the world could cut nearly 650 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases.
21If almost everyone ate the right number of calories based on age - around 2,100 calories a day for many adults - it would reduce emissions by about 410 billion metric tons.
22If farming could reduce carbon levels - by using less fertilizer, managing soil better and doing better crop rotation - it would cut greenhouse gases by nearly 540 billion metric tons.
23And if people wasted less food - at home, in restaurants or by getting it to people in poorer countries - emissions could be cut by about 360 billion metric tons.
24I'm Bryan Lynn.
1Most of the efforts aimed at reducing climate change center on reducing the use of fossil fuels. But a new study warns that pollution caused by the world's food production system is also a major driver of rising temperatures on the planet. 2The study found that if the world food system stays on its current growth path, it will produce nearly 1.4 trillion metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 80 years. 3That pollution is expected to come from fertilizers used in agriculture, mismanaged soil, food waste and methane gas released from cows and other animals. Other causes include land-clearing operations and deforestation. 4Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Oxford in Britain led the study, which recently appeared in the publication Science. 5The researchers predict that even if fossil fuel emissions were halted now, emissions from the world food system would make it impossible to reach current international climate change targets. They say that emissions from food production alone could push world temperatures past 1.5 degrees Celsius by the middle of this century and above 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. 6A main goal of the 2015 United Nations Paris Agreement on climate change is to keep rises in the Earth's temperature during this century to between 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius. The U.N. has said that in order to stay below the 1.5 Celsius level, emissions must fall at least 7.6 percent each year through 2030. 7The new study calls for immediate "improvements in farming practices, as well as changes in what we eat and how much food we waste," to help reach the Paris Agreement goals. 8Jason Hill is a professor of biosystems engineering at the University of Minnesota. He helped lead the study. He said in a statement that the research clearly demonstrates that food has a much greater effect on climate change than is widely known. 9Hill also noted that fixing the problem would not require the world's population to completely stop eating meat. "The whole world doesn't have to give up meat for us to meet our climate goals," he told the Associated Press. "We can eat better, healthier foods. We can improve how we grow foods. And we can waste less food." 10The researchers say such efforts are achievable and can also lead to many other improvements beyond controlling climate change. These include making humans healthier, reducing water pollution, improving air quality, preventing animal extinctions and improving farm profitability. 11The study makes the following predictions: 12A nearly complete change to a plant-rich diet around the world could cut nearly 650 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases. 13If almost everyone ate the right number of calories based on age - around 2,100 calories a day for many adults - it would reduce emissions by about 410 billion metric tons. 14If farming could reduce carbon levels - by using less fertilizer, managing soil better and doing better crop rotation - it would cut greenhouse gases by nearly 540 billion metric tons. 15And if people wasted less food - at home, in restaurants or by getting it to people in poorer countries - emissions could be cut by about 360 billion metric tons. 16I'm Bryan Lynn. 17Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, the University of Minnesota and the United Nations. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 18We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. 19_______________________________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21fossil fuel - n. a fuel, such as coal, oil, or natural gas, that is formed in the earth from dead plants or animals 22greenhouse gas - n. relating to or caused by the warming of the Earth's atmosphere that is caused by air pollution 23mismanage - v. to control or organize something badly 24emission - n. the act of sending gas, heat or light out into the air 25achievable - adj. able to be brought about or reached successfully 26extinction - n. when a plant or animal completely dies out and disappears 27calorie - n. a unit for measuring the amount of energy food provides 28rotation - n. to regularly change the way a process is carried out