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
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
June 24, 2024 | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications | Introduction: Digital inclusive finance is widely promoted as an enabler of green transitions, yet its environmental impacts in agricul
May 22, 2020 | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems | Introduction: Global pathways consistent with the Paris Agreement rely on substantial reductions in agricultural methane (CH4) and N2O alongside
17–20 August 2027 | In-person | Osaka, Japan |Content adapted from ABS | Image source: ABS
May 8, 2024 | PLOS ONE | Introduction: Assessments of cover crop climate value typically quantify carbon sequestration and N₂O emissions, but omit land-use effects, specifically the carbon savings tha
