The climate problem and the role of agriculture

Publication date: 17-09-2026
Extent: 30 pages

Contributions by: David Reay, University of Edinburgh, UK; and Hannah Ritchie, University of Oxford, UK

Chapter synopsis:

Agriculture and land use are at the very heart of tackling climate change in the 21st century, both in terms of their potential to help deliver net zero, and as sectors that are already experiencing some of the most severe climate-related impacts. In this chapter the authors explore this pivotal role of agriculture and related land use-change in determining global greenhouse gas fluxes. They highlight the differing importance of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions across and within these sectors and examine the global food system as whole in the context of limiting warming to within the Paris Climate Goals. In turn, they provide an overview of the ways in which the global food system is itself at risk from the impacts of climate change and how increased resilience, productivity and efficiency can help deliver a sustainable pathway to net zero.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2025.0169.01