Agriculture is both a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a
constructive landscape to reduce global emissions. Using New York State
(NYS) as a case study, participants will learn about sources of
emissions on farms, how the different sources of emissions add up, and
targeted mechanisms to help reduce them. Emphasis will be on net
greenhouse gas accounting from a change in practice, which means adding
together the changes in carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous
oxide (N2O). The goal is to help land managers identify real and permanent GHG reduction strategies to ensure farmers in the future have a more stable climate.
This series is co-hosted with the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.
The Soils section on October 21, is also co-hosted with the Soil Health Initiative.
This series is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Smith Lever Project 2019-20-110.
BIO:
Jenifer Wightman is a Research Specialist
in the Section of Soil and Crop Sciences at Cornell University. For 20
years she has analyzed the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation
sources and sinks from agriculture, forestry, waste, and renewable
energy. She feels strongly that GHG reduction is the ultimate adaptation
and resiliency effort, to ensure future farms and landowners have a
less variable climate in which to work. To this end she has worked
closely with farm/landowner non-profits and outreach organizations to
develop local strategies around GHG mitigation, with NYS agencies to
develop policies and tools to support farms/landowners to implement GHG
mitigating projects, and with international undergraduate and graduate
students to design a more sustainable future by understanding the
lifecycle and environmental impact of any product/system they build.