Pathways towards Net-Zero Emission in Agriculture

The increasing urgency to address climate change has focused attention on the agricultural sector. As the global community prepares for COP29, this special issue seeks to explore comprehensive pathways towards achieving net-zero emissions in agriculture. The aim is to provide a platform for examining innovative strategies, challenges, and opportunities to foster sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.

Key Themes
Emission Reduction Strategies:
This theme focuses on practices that minimise greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture including low-emission livestock production systems, optimising crop management practices, and improving soil carbon sequestration techniques.

Technological Innovations:
Highlighting advancement in technologies that enhance agricultural efficiency while reducing emissions is crucial. This includes the application of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and remote sensing technologies. The role of renewable energy in powering farm operations and reducing dependency on fossil fuels will be examined. Contributions that showcase advancements in precision farming, automated systems, and smart irrigation techniques are welcome.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification:
Accurate monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) are essential for tracking progress towards net-zero emissions. The research on development and implementation of MRV systems, data analytics and integration and modelling for assessing Scope 1, 2, and 3 footprints is within the scope this collection.

Policy and Finance:
Analysing policy frameworks that incentivize emission reductions in agriculture is critical. This theme will explore regulatory approaches, market-based mechanisms, and international agreements that support sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, it will examine financing mechanisms, including carbon credits, green bonds, and public-private partnerships, to support farmers’ adoption of sustainable practices.

Broadening the scope- trade-offs with other sustainable development goals:
A strong focus on emissions and agriculture has become the significant challenge for production. However, there is a potential for perverse outcomes if we don’t broaden the focus to other sustainability goals. This theme will focus considering net zero emissions agriculture within the context of other sustainability goals such as Life on Land. Contributions that propose approaches for contemplating such multi-dimensional trade-offs, for quantifying such trade-offs and for informing decisions in light of these complexities will be considered. 

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 7, SDG 13 and SDG 15.