Search
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
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
Read More
Challenges and prospects for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation pathways consistent with the Paris Agreement
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
Addressing dairy industry's scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by efficiently managing farm carbon footprints
April, 2023 | Environmental Challenges | Source |  Introduction: Upstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (i.e. scope 3)—accounting for 70–90% of the dairy industry’s total emissions—pose a persistent
Eating healthy or wasting less? Reducing resource footprints of food consumption
April 29, 2021 | Environmental Research Letters | Source |  Introduction: Researchers from the University of Freiburg and University of Kassel (Germany), together with the Vienna University of Economi
Transitioning to low-carbon agriculture: the non-linear role of digital inclusive finance in China’s agricultural carbon emissions
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
A theoretical framework to improve the adoption of green integrated pest management tactics
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
TOP