Pathways for Agricultural Decarbonization in the United States

Summary

This NREL technical report from January 2024 outlines pathways for agricultural decarbonization in the United States, identifying that agricultural production accounts for 12% of total U.S. GHG emissions, or 730 MMT CO2e/yr. The dominant sources are soil management (40%, 294 MMT CO2e/yr), enteric fermentation (27%, 195 MMT CO2e/yr), and manure management (11%, 83 MMT CO2e/yr). The report quantifies several mitigation solutions, with agroforestry offering the highest potential at 381 MMT CO2e/yr, followed by biochar application at 211 MMT CO2e/yr, and no-till systems at 137 MMT CO2e/yr. Overall, carbon sequestration in agricultural lands could offset 943 MMT CO2e/yr, which is 131% of current agricultural emissions. The report also highlights a 7% increase in total agricultural GHG emissions between 1990 and 2021 and calls for further research into hard-to-abate sources and improving adoption rates for existing technologies.

Key Facts

Source Document

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