Positive Link Between Population Growth and Emissions of Greenhouse Gasses from Agriculture

Developing countries, together with countries in transition, are on the way towards achieving their required agricultural production level. These countries are classified as non-Annex I by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). However, as agricultural production practices increase, so is the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) particularly nitrous oxide and methane. Thus, a team of researchers from Alterra and Plant Research International in Netherlands conducted a study about the relationship of agriculture production, population growth and emission of nitrous oxide and methane in order to sustain food production while limiting the effects of climate change. The non-Annex I countries included in this study were China, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Mongolia, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa.

Christy L. van Beek and colleagues used data on agricultural production levels from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), nitrous oxide and methane emissions information from Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) and population growth statistics from CENSUS. Production level in agriculture is projected to increase until it levels off starting 2040. Results of the study verify that as the population of most countries increases, the amount of emission from agricultural operations also increases. But in South Africa, China and Mexico, this association was not evident. Factors like international trade may have affected the result but it may also imply that population may grow without increasing the amount of emissions. Since there are vast differences in the farming procedures of the countries studied, then the researchers recommend farming strategies that could lessen the negative effects of agriculture on the environment.

The abstract of this study is available at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VP6-4XV451J-1&_user=9229648&_coverDate=04%2F30%2F2010&_rdoc=2&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236198%232010%23999869997%231783336%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6198&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=12&_acct=C000070094&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_
userid=9229648&md5=2da73cf0c6e21d74afe1dcf624c7a96f.