Study Reveals Linkages Between Crop Biotech and Climate Change Mitigation

Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan and University of Victoria in Canada analyzed and evaluated peer-reviewed research on the contribution of crop biotechnology to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Their findings, published in GM Crops and Food, with principal author Stuart J. Smyth, focus on genetically modified (GM) traits in major crops and the resulting changes in farming practices.

The study concludes that GM crops offer benefits for climate change mitigation. However, the researchers acknowledge that the science, literature, and evidence are still evolving, particularly as more sophisticated research methods are applied. The regulatory environment also plays a role in technology development, according to the study.

The assessment used the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale and citation analysis to find that GM crops provide benefits for climate change mitigation.  They note that more research is needed to fully understand the complex interactions of variable cropping systems, the local ecosystem and global climate, and the local economic and social systems.

Read the research article in GM Crops and Food.