Could cleaning up our farms go a long way to reducing global
warming? Scientists say yes.
Scientists are urging climate negotiators to focus more
attention on the role farms could play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
linked to global warming. And its almost entirely ignored by policymakers. Did
you know that farming contributes as much to global warming as all the world's
cars, trucks and planes? It’s also expected to increase its share as the world
welcomes an expected 3 billion more people by 2050
Much of the world's efforts have been focused on reducing
visible emissions from factories and power plants, but scientists say farming
operations offer vast, untapped resources in carbon sinks and biogas plants.
John Ibbett's Bedfordia Group is among a small group of
farmers in Britain that have built plants that capture methane from manure and
farm waste to be burned in the production of electricity.
Methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, is
diverted from the atmosphere at Ibbett's pig farm about 50 miles north of
London.
Much bigger benefits are expected to come from small changes
in soil management. Just as trees and plants store carbon from the atmosphere,
so too can the soil. That potential could be improved if farmers used longer
rotations, refrained from overgrazing pastures and plowed less.
So my question: why has this sector been ignored by
policymakers? Who is protecting and who is taking money? Something isn’t right
here.. | 
