How can humanity meet the growing demand for food while addressing climate change and preserving vital water resources? A recent lecture by Sven Lautenbach, based on a paper addressing global land management, revisited this critical question. The findings reveal that a radical spatial reorganisation of land use could double food production, conserve water, and significantly enhance carbon storage. While the concept may seem ambitious, it offers a compelling vision for a more sustainable allocation of resources.
According to the study, current land-use practices are the product of historical developments that no longer align with the biophysical potential of our ecosystems. Over centuries, changes in consumption patterns and growing demand have outpaced the capacity of traditional agricultural regions to sustainably meet these needs. As a result, food production often occurs in areas that are inefficient and unsuited to modern requirements, both in terms of yield and environmental impact.
Forests are being cleared for agriculture, often in areas that are inefficient in terms of yield, water use, and carbon storage potential. Simultaneously, fields in arid regions require extensive irrigation, depleting water resources. By reorganising agriculture and forestry to align with the biophysical potential of ecosystems, we could mitigate multiple global challenges simultaneously.
Though this approach appears utopian, it is grounded in scientific feasibility. With climate change already reshaping land use globally, proactive planning could allow us to harness these inevitable shifts for a better outcome.
The research emphasized that while such a transformation requires global cooperation and political will, it is worth exploring. These ideas offer a practical framework for addressing interconnected challenges like food security, climate change, and resource management in a more integrated and effective way.
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Reference:
A.D. Bayer, S. Lautenbach, A. Arneth, Benefits and trade-offs of optimizing global land use for food, water, and carbon, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
120 (42) e2220371120,
Benefits and trade-offs of optimizing global land use for food, water, and carbon | PNAS (2023).
*Figure a) represents the mean over all solutions on the solution front. The percentage value tells what proportion of the solutions in this cell has assigned the respective use. Figure b) on the right shows global land use in its current state.