Won’t reduce emissions and could even increase them through land-use change --- new tech and practices are necessary
Smith, 5/13/2024 --- dual MA/MSc in International and World History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, research analyst in the food and agriculture program at Breakthrough Institute (MAY 13, 2024, Alex Smith, “The Inflation Reduction Act’s “Climate-Smart Agriculture” Investments Aren’t Very Smart; How To Spend $20 Billion To Actually Reduce Agricultural Emissions,” https://thebreakthrough.org/journal/no-20-spring-2024/the-inflation-reduction-acts-climate-smart-agriculture-investments-arent-very-smart, JMP))
Herein lies the fundamental problem with IRA agricultural funding. As it stands, “climate-smart” agriculture is a misnomer. Some practices under that label can reduce emissions, but many, if not most, are more likely to have little to no impact on emissions. In the worst scenarios, where “climate-smart” practices decrease yields, they can even increase global agricultural emissions through indirect land-use change, in exchange for short-term local benefits. We simply do not have the technologies, practices, or techniques to fundamentally reduce the emissions from American agriculture, at least not yet.