An Agrigenomics Trifecta: Greenhouse Gas Drawdown, Food Security, and New Drugs

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Climate Science
• Agronomy

Background:

• Decades of data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, atmospheric concentrations, and global temperatures are available.
• The U.S. has implemented a plan to control GHG emissions.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of this plan requires empirical analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically evaluate the U.S. plan for controlling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• To determine the consequential impact of the U.S. plan on atmospheric GHG levels and global temperatures.
• To explore effective GHG drawdown strategies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of historical data on GHG emission rates.
• Analysis of historical data on atmospheric GHG concentrations.
• Analysis of historical data on global average temperatures.

Main Results:

• The difference between projected atmospheric GHG levels under current trends and the U.S. plan's goals is inconsequential, even with global implementation.
• Expected globally averaged temperature differences are within the margin of measurement error.
• The analysis supports the necessity of GHG drawdown strategies for effective climate mitigation.

Conclusions:

• Current U.S. GHG control plans, even if globally adopted, show minimal impact on atmospheric concentrations and global temperatures.
• Effective climate change mitigation necessitates strategies that actively reduce atmospheric GHGs.
• Agrigenomics presents a promising strategy for a "trifecta" of climate mitigation, food security, and medical advancements.