Carbon footprints and land-use systems

Abstract

Carbon Footprint (CFP) refers to the emission of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) during a given period by any activity or entity. The standard unit for measuring it is the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO_2eq), such that the impact of each GHG is expressed in terms of the amount of CO₂ that would create the same amount of warming. It is widely recognized that the 2020 global value for average per capita CFP (estimated as 4.47 Mg CO_2eq) is not sustainable and that it must be reduced to < 2 Mg CO_2eq if global warming is to be limited to 2⁰C. Recent estimates show that 31% of human-caused GHG emissions originate from the world’s agri-food systems, the major sources being deforestation, livestock production (from enteric fermentation and manure), food waste disposal, and fossil fuel use (by farms and the food-retail sector). Land application of chemicals such as fertilizers, weedicides, and insecticides is the most significant factor in the AFOLU (agriculture, forestry, and other land-use) sector. Enhancement of the natural process of terrestrial C sequestration in soil and vegetation is a widely recognized approach to reducing the AFOLU sector CFP. The adoption of multispecies agroforestry systems with nitrogen-fixing trees is a promising strategy for accomplishing this goal. Another is integrated silvopastoral systems that combine animal production with deep-rooted grass and trees that could counteract the GHG emission through enteric fermentation in animals with enhanced soil C sequestration.

Keywords

AFOLU (Agriculture / forestry / and other forms of land-use) / CO_2eq (agroforestry / carbon dioxide equivalent) / GHG (climate change / Greenhouse gas) / global warming potential

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