Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-293
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-293
08 Feb 2024
 | 08 Feb 2024

Opinion: Understanding the impacts of agriculture and food systems on atmospheric chemistry is instrumental to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals

Amos P. K. Tai, Lina Luo, and Biao Luo

Abstract. Agriculture and food systems play important roles shaping atmospheric chemistry and air quality, most dominantly via the release of reactive nitrogen (Nr) compounds, but also via agricultural burning, energy use, and cropland and pastureland expansion. In this opinion, we first succinctly review our current understanding of agricultural and food-system emissions of Nr and other atmospherically relevant compounds, their fates and impacts on air quality, human health and terrestrial ecosystems, and how such emissions can be potentially mitigated through better cropland management, livestock management and whole food-system transformation. With that, we highlight important knowledge gaps that warrant more extensive research, and argue that we scientists need to provide a more detailed, process-based understanding of the impacts of agriculture and food systems on atmospheric chemistry, especially as the importance of emissions from other fossil fuel-intensive sectors is fading in the face of regulatory measures worldwide. Such knowledge is necessary to guide food-system transformation in technologically feasible, economically viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally responsible manners, and essential to help society achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially to ensure food security for the people, protect human and ecosystem health, improve farmers’ livelihood, and ultimately help communities achieve socioeconomic and environmental sustainability.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Amos P. K. Tai, Lina Luo, and Biao Luo

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Lei Liu, 18 Mar 2024
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Anonymous Referee #1, 12 Apr 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Anonymous Referee #2, 01 May 2024
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Amos Tai, 31 Aug 2024

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Lei Liu, 18 Mar 2024
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Anonymous Referee #1, 12 Apr 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Anonymous Referee #2, 01 May 2024
  • AC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-293', Amos Tai, 31 Aug 2024
Amos P. K. Tai, Lina Luo, and Biao Luo
Amos P. K. Tai, Lina Luo, and Biao Luo

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Agriculture and food systems significantly affect atmospheric composition, air quality and ecosystems and their relative influence is growing due to the regulations of traditional industrial emissions and due to increasing food demand and changes in dietary choices. This opinion piece discusses not just the direct emissions of reactive nitrogen compounds, but also related pre- and post-stages, including fertilizer production, food processing and transport. The authors give valuable recommendations for future societally and environmentally responsible regulations of the food systems to meet global sustainability goals.
Short summary
We discuss our current understanding and knowledge gaps of how agriculture and food systems affect air quality, and how agricultural emissions can be mitigated. We argue that scientists need to address these gaps, especially as the importance of fossil fuel emissions is fading. This will help guide food-system transformation in economically viable, socially inclusive, and environmentally responsible manners, and is essential to help society achieve sustainable development.