Comparing the carbon footprints of urban and conventional agriculture
January 22, 2024 | Nature Cities |
Introduction: Urban agriculture (UA) is seen as a key solution for creating sustainable urban food systems. In collaboration with European researchers, a US research team based in University of Michigan compared the environmental impact of UA to conventional agriculture across 73 sites in Europe and the United States.
Key findings: Results showed that UA produces six times more carbon emissions per serving compared to conventional farming. However, some UA crops and sites outperform conventional agriculture, suggesting ways to reduce climate impact. Recommendations include cultivating crops typically grown in greenhouses or air-freighted, prolonging UA infrastructure lifespan, and utilizing urban waste for inputs. Despite UA's higher carbon intensity, it offers social benefits like improved mental health and community building. Future research should explore strategies to mitigate UA's environmental impact while maximizing its social and nutritional benefits.
Figure | Infrastructure and carbon footprints at urban agriculture sites.
Viewed Articles
January 22, 2024 | Nature Cities |Introduction: Urban agriculture (UA) is seen as a key solution for creating sustainable urban food systems. In collaboration with European researchers, a US research
Read More
March 18, 2024 | Communications Biology | Introduction: Despite the availability of environmentally friendly pest control options, uptake of green Integrated Pest Management (IPM) remains slow. A mult
November 20, 2020 | Journal of Cleaner Production | Introduction: Greenhouses account for the largest share of final energy consumption in agriculture, with heating alone consuming 65-85% of total ene
Introduction: Controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) can improve nutrient-use efficiency by gradually releasing nutrients according to crop demand. However, conventional CRFs commonly use petroleum-bas
January 20, 2026 | Nature Communications | Introduction: This study, led by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture at the University of Tasmania (Australia) with participation from industry and resea
uly 2024 | Energy Strategy Reviews | Volume 54Introduction: Greenhouse farming can support stable crop production under controlled conditions, but maintaining suitable temperatures can require substan
