Climate change and agriculture - current report of the WBA and the WBW
On September the 2nd, 2016, the Scientific Advisory Councils for Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection (WBAE) and for forest policy (WBW) at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) presented a joint report entitled "Climate Change in agriculture, forestry and the downstream areas of nutrition and use of wood" to Federal Minister Christian Schmidt .
To avoid unforeseeable negative impacts of climate change on ecosystems and society deep reductions of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are required. The ambitious climate protection targets by Germany and the EU to reduce GHG emissions by at least 80% to 95% by 2050 compared to 1990, can be implemented only through a profound transformation of the entire energy and economic system. The Scientific Advisory Councils WBAE and WBW advocate ambitious emission targets and recommended policy measures, which would cause substantial contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in agriculture and forestry, in their joint report.
Measures with a particularly high potential for climate protection are the productive use of the forest, which includes an increase in the conifer component in the rejuvenation, the protection of currently agricultural bogs, reducing the consumption of animal products, the use of fast growing tree species from agricultural production, increasing the use of wood in durable products and improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization.
Prof. Dr. Martinez is a member of the WBAE
Download the report and the press release here