Zero Emissions Day, September 21st, is a day to pause and think about greenhouse gas emissions and the future we envision for the planet. It is a reminder that preserving the Earth in a liveable state requires the global temperature increase to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Earth is already roughly 1 degree Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels.
Net zero is the state in which any greenhouse gas emissions are either eliminated or re-absorbed from the atmosphere. Reaching net zero will require all hands on deck, across countries and industries. It provides an opportunity for agriculture to reduce its carbon footprint, too.
Agriculture plays a big role in global emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), agriculture is responsible for roughly 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. And that number is increasing; over the last forty years, agricultural emissions stemming from human activity have increased by 30%. Recent activity has impacted agriculture’s emissions.
A majority of the 669.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from agriculture came from direct nitrous oxide, and direct methane was also a big contributor. The good news is that agriculture emissions were roughly four percent lower in 2018 compared to 2000. However, nitrous oxide emissions from synthetic fertilizers and crop residue incorporation were more than 35% higher in the same period.
Agriculture is also at risk from emissions. Climate change is expected to reduce corn, soybean, rice, cotton, and oat yields starting even as early as right now! This could increase the need for irrigation in crop production, all while regional water availability continues to be a challenge.
Weather patterns are expected to change. Farmers are expected to have the flexibility to adjust production practices to changing weather and resources, but flexibility could be harnessed now to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture.
There’s a global effort to reach net zero. Agriculture is a key to reaching this goal. More than 70 countries have set a target to reach net-zero emissions, and over 1,200 companies have set targets as well.
Innovative solutions are essential to meet the challenges the world is facing today in agricultural production. The more information farmers, researchers, and agronomists have, the better the chances to leverage agricultural big data to make informed decisions in the field that will result in higher yields, better crop quality, and lower environmental impact.
Agmatix is one such company providing innovative solutions for agriculture because sustainability is a foundational part of who we are. Agmatix helps agronomists, researchers, and farmers customize crop nutrition recommendations based on a verified, scientific-based crop nutrient decision-support system that not only improves yield but also provides a sustainability scoring index for each crop’s nutrient management plan.
Agmatix’s Commitment to Sustainability
Agmatix is committed to helping reach the zero-emission goal by 2050. Our unique data science and AI agricultural platform transforms agricultural big data into actionable insights for farmers, researchers, and agronomists to make informed decisions to improve crop yields, and nutritional quality, while ultimately helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the agricultural carbon footprint.
Plant nutrition carbon footprint optimizer
The Digital Crop Advisor solution uses agronomic field trial data to allow farmers to optimize crop nutrition – applying just the right amount to give plants what they need, without an unnecessary runoff, waste of resources, and lower environmental footprint.
With Agmatix, farmers can calculate the carbon footprint of their fertilizer plans based on field characteristics, agronomic practices, crop and fertilizer type, and more. Farmers can even run simulations of different recommendations to compare environmental and yield tradeoffs to learn how to reduce their agriculture carbon footprint.
Personal environmental responsibility and employee volunteering
Agmatix is also committed to a culture of sustainability. Employees are encouraged to take personal environmental responsibility and volunteer in ways that positively impact the world we live in.
You Can Lead this Zero Emissions Day
Opportunities abound to be a part of Zero Emissions Day. At home, select energy-efficient products. Even small changes such as unplugging your phone as soon as it’s charged and turning the heat down a single degree can make a big difference!
On the go, find opportunities to cycle or hop on the bus. Carpool when you can, or try taking the train.
When it comes to food and agriculture, don’t forget about local and seasonal products. Give alternative proteins a try. Avoid food waste by buying what you need and using it all. Compost any food waste you do have.
On the farm, the USDA suggests that changes in production practices could both cut greenhouse gas emissions and pull carbon from the atmosphere through carbon sequestration.
This is a great opportunity for agriculture to take the lead in carbon footprint reduction! How might this happen? Through things like cover crops that, in the right conditions, can reduce erosion and nutrient runoff. Or producing biofuels that replace fossil fuels and can impact emissions across many industries. Reducing or eliminating tillage can impact soil health and carbon content as well as energy use on the farm.
For a Better Tomorrow
Agriculture has the added challenge of reducing carbon footprint while feeding a growing population. Ron Baruchi, CEO of Agmatix noted that “Growers, agronomists, researchers and ag industry experts are tackling today’s biggest challenge – providing food security for the world’s growing population.” With improved crop management decision-making, better crop quality, higher yields, and lower carbon footprints are within reach.
A swift change is needed in agriculture to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture. With a big goal of a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030, farmers and the agriculture industry can help get sustainability trending in the right direction.
Together, Agmatix and farmers can better understand the carbon footprint of individual farms using. Farmers can make informed decisions about nutrient programs and their impact on the farm’s carbon footprint. By growing data for impact, Agmatix and farmers are growing a better, more sustainable tomorrow.
