Reducing emissions through improved farming practices

McKinsey & Co. has released a new report examining the role of agriculture in climate change and how to reduce emissions through improved farming practices. The report identifies 25 measures to reduce on-farm emissions, with the cumulative potential to abate up to 4.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) by 2050, as well as detailing the reductions required from changing global diets, and management of forests and natural carbon sinks in order to stick to the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway.

When assessed over a 20-year time frame, agriculture already contributes around 20% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. On current trends, this is set to rise by 15%–20% by 2050 to reach about 23.4 GtCO2e in total, driven by rising populations and by increasing per capita food consumption. What’s more, methane has a significant impact with a much shorter lifetime in the atmosphere, lasting just 12 years.

“Throughout history, agriculture has risen to humanity’s greatest challenges. Today, the sector faces perhaps its biggest one yet: to reduce its emissions while feeding a growing global population with enhanced nutritional needs,” said Joshua Katz, partner at McKinsey & Co., in a press release. “It’s a challenge the sector absolutely can meet—and this report shows how—but it will require concerted efforts from companies, policymakers, farmers, and innovators alike.”

Of the top 25 measures identified by the report, just 15 could account for as much as 85% of the total emissions abatement. Further, 15 of the 25 are already today assessed as cost saving or neutral on a global scale. The top five measures in terms of abatement potential are as follows:

1. Adoption of zero-emissions on-farm machinery and equipment (~537 MtCO2e, at a cost savings of ~$229/tCO2e)
2. Use of GHG–focused genetic animal selection and breeding (~506 MtCO2e, at zero cost)
3. Improving fertilization practices in rice cultivation (~449 MtCO2e, at the cost of ~$3/tCO2e)
4. Improving animal health monitoring and illness prevention (~411 MtCO2e, at a cost savings of ~$5/tCO2e)
5. Optimizing the animal feed mix (~370 MtCO2e, at the cost of ~$131/tCO2e)

In order to meet the 1.5°C target outlined in the Paris Agreement, the report estimates that 8.6 GtCO2e will need to come from changing how we eat and reducing waste and that 5.2 GtCO2e must come from better management of forests and natural carbon sinks. This is in addition to the 4.6 GtCO2e of emissions reductions from farming.