Net Zero means balancing greenhouse gas (GHG) removal with greenhouse gas emissions such that the overall net emissions are Zero. In theory, this seems like a simple task; if you have activities that cause carbon emissions, you can counter them by doing other activities that reduce GHG emissions. 

The fact that Net zero is one of the hottest topics in global climate change discussions is an obvious indication that it is not so simple. Over 50 countries have made pledges towards achieving Net Zero by the year 2050 but have not implemented much in terms of actions towards it, mostly because a consensus has not been reached regarding roles to be assigned for the removal of carbon emissions. 

China and India may be responsible for creating a massive amount of emissions due to the high level of manufacturing in those areas and the amount of fossil fuel being burnt but they argue that the goods being produced are for use in America and Europe. The developing countries can as well debate their stance by saying they are not causing more harm than the rich nations did in the past while building their economy.

While these debates go on, we all need to seek alternative means to work toward Net Zero as we cannot expect all economic activities that increase GHG to come to a halt for obvious reasons. Analysis by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that 31 per cent of human-caused GHG emissions originate from the world’s agri-food systems. This reflects the impact of the numerous activities being done in an attempt to feed the world’s ever-increasing population, and it follows that Net Zero starts with such a relevant GHG contributor by exploring more sustainable means of achieving this task. 

Much of the progress of the human race towards achieving ‌economic goals have been achieved at the detriment to our environment. Agriculture has been determined to be one of the major sources of GHG, as Agrifood system emissions account for an estimated 21 – 37% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and Climate action in agribusiness could reduce emission by up to 7%.

Agrifood system actors cannot proceed with their activities as usual if we are to trace our footsteps back in reclaiming our environment. They must be actively and strategically involved in low carbon and carbon neutral agriculture for Net Zero to become a reality in that sector. It will be a win-win situation for the agricultural sector to be at the forefront of achieving net zero as that is usually the sector worst hit by the impacts of climate change.

The UK is leading the trend by backing up goals with action, as evidenced by the Farm Net Zero project in Cornwall in collaboration with the Farm Carbon Toolkit. The Pilot farms in this project use several sustainable agriculture techniques and alternative energy sources ultimately producing better food and reducing waste through composting.

While composting is highly recommended for sustainable farmers as it integrates waste back into the soil as nutrients for food production, it is messy, time-consuming and prone to the spread of germs. A more efficient way to gain all its benefits would be to adopt some of the technology developed to manage food waste by Biotechnological companies. One of such is the iDigest which performs artificial enzymatic breakdown of food waste in a matter of hours in a hygienic system that excludes odours.

The governments of other countries need to go beyond setting goals to making actual policies towards achieving the 2050 vision while we strive towards the application of technologies that actively remove GHGs from the atmosphere. As in the UK, when Government policies make it attractive for farmers to adopt production strategies that aim to attain Net Zero, the Cornwall project can be replicated in as many locations as possible.

The farmers are given the required technical support to monitor their progress and the effect of sustainable activities on their products and determine how successful they are in GHG removal. 

The 7% reduction in GHG which is hoped for in 5 years if agriculture becomes fully sustainable may seem small when compared to what is left untackled in other sectors of the world economy, however in this fight to reclaim our environment, every little effort counts and buys a little more time for future generations.

References

1.   The future of food and agriculture – Alternative pathways to 2050. Rome. 224 pp. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
2.   Innovativefarmers.org. (2022). [online] Available at: http://links.innovativefarmers.org/m/1/26135169/p1-b22147-d76e9850a5ff4d458625c37c55d20c8c/2/991/93d7010c-af27-439e-9282-6f1b0e17f046 [Accessed 29 May 2022].
3.   The Economist. (n.d.). What is net zero? [online] Available at: https://www.economist.com/films/2021/07/30/what-is-net-zero.
4.   FAO, 2021. New FAO analysis reveals carbon footprint of agri-food supply chain. [online]. UN News. Available from: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/11/1105172.