Climate Change threatens Food and Water Supplies, while Farming and Land Practices fuel the change, says new U.N. Report

Changing climate imperils global food and water supplies, new U.N. study finds

Agriculture and other land use accounts for 23 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

by Brady Dennis | Aug 8 2019 | Washington Post

The world cannot avoid the worst impacts of climate change without making serious changes to the ways humans grow food, raise livestock and manage forests, according to a landmark study Thursday from an international group of scientists.

The sprawling report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) examines how land use around the world contributes to the warming of Earth’s atmosphere. But the report also details how climate change is already threatening food and water supplies for humans: turning arable land to desert; degrading soil; and increasing the threat of droughts, floods and other extreme weather that can wreak havoc on crops.

It makes clear that although fossil fuel-burning power plants and automobile tailpipes are the largest drivers of climate change, activities such as agriculture and forestry account for an estimated 23 percent of total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

“We already knew that humanity’s over-exploitation of the Earth’s lands is a key driver of climate change, and that we need to take urgent, ambitious action to address these issues,” Jennifer Tabola, director for global climate strategy at the Nature Conservancy, said in a statement. “We have a choice: do we balance the needs of human development and nature, or do we sleepwalk into a future of failing farmlands, eroding soil, collapsing ecosystems and dwindling food resources?”

Four years ago in Paris, world leaders agreed to take aggressive action to keep global warming to “well below” 2 degree Celsius, compared with pre-industrial levels. Their aspiration was to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (the world has already warmed 1 degree).

But Thursday’s report, which includes the work of 107 experts from 52 countries, underscores that meeting those goals will require fundamental changes not only to the transportation and energy sectors, but also by cutting emissions from agriculture and deforestation — all while feeding growing populations.dd

Last fall, IPCC scientists found that nations will need to take “unprecedented” actions to cut their carbon emissions over the next decade to avoid devastating effects from rising seas, more intense storms and other impacts of climate change.

[The world has just over a decade to get climate change under control, U.N. scientists say]

They also detailed how such a radical transformation would require large swaths of land currently used to produce food to instead be converted to growing trees that store carbon and crops designated for energy use.

“Such large transitions pose profound challenges for sustainable management of the various demands on land for human settlements, food, livestock feed, fibre, bioenergy, carbon storage, biodiversity and other ecosystem services,” the authors wrote at the time.

A significant amount of agricultural emissions comes from livestock — primarily from the belches of cattle. Additionally, while all soils emit some nitrous oxide, soil on farms often emits higher levels because of nitrogen that is added in the form of manure, fertilizers or other material. Meanwhile, deforestation in places such as the Amazon and Indonesia has harmed the ability of forests to retain carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Community Workshops - One Region Forward

Join Us for Scenario Planning Workshops Across the Region this November

Scenario planning will allow citizens to put those Regional Values into concrete terms and decide where to make investments and what strategies to pursue to get us closer to our shared Regional Vision and Values.

In a series of highly interactive, hands-on workshops, One Region Forward will ask participants to work together mapping their future approach to land use, development, housing and transportation for our region.

Register to attend a workshop
A Week of Workshops are scheduled for November 12-16th across the region.  Join us and tell us what your future Buffalo Niagara looks like!

• NOV 12th 6pm – 8pm: Amherst Central High School, Amherst

• NOV 13th 6pm – 8pm: City Honors School, Buffalo

• NOV 14th 6pm – 8pm: Parkdale Elementary School, East Aurora

• NOV 15th 6pm – 8pm: Starpoint Central High School, Pendleton

• NOV 16th 12pm – 2pm: Niagara Power Project Visitors Center, Lewiston

Symposium on Fracking and NY State Law [Updated 9.24.2013]

Fractured Communities -

Hydraulic Fracturing and the Law in New York State.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013.

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Organized by the Albany Law Review

Co-sponsored by the Government Law Center

Where: Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom, Albany Law School, Albany, NY 12208

UPDATE - 9.24.2013: Watch the event via live webstream starting at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

When: 11:00 a.m.

Welcome by Michael White '14, Executive Editor for Symposium

Opening remarks and introductions by President and Dean, Penelope (Penny) Andrews

Panel discussion: Four hydraulic fracturing experts will discuss climate impacts, land use and real estate issues, and economic impacts associated with natural gas drilling.

Speakers include:

• Elizabeth Burleson, Pace Law Professor and Fulbright Senior Specialist on Climate Change

• Sorell E. Negro, Associate, Robinson & Cole

• Karen Moreau '85, Executive Director, New York State Petroleum Council

• Elisabeth Radow, Chair, Committee on Energy, Agriculture and the Environment of the League of Women Voters of New York

Moderator: Tom Wilber, author, Under the Surface: Fracking, Fortunes, and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale

1:30 p.m.

Debate: The legal and policy implications of Norse Energy Corp., USA v. Town of Dryden, the Third Department's decision upholding municipal bans on natural gas drilling, and the future of natural gas extraction in New York.

Featuring:

PUBLIC MEETINGS: WNY Regional Sustainability Plan

The Conversation Continues: The Western New York Regional Sustainability Planning Team is seeking your input on projects that will make our region more sustainable.

Five Western New York counties are working together to create a plan to build a more sustainable region.

Over the last several months, we’ve used your input to create integrated solutions for land use, energy, transportation, infrastructure and environmental practices to improve our quality of life now, and for generations to come. The draft Western New York Regional Sustainability Plan will soon be available at www.sustainable-ny.com.

Ultimately, the Plan will:

-	Plan for energy production and conservation, transportation, waste and water management, land use and livable communities, agriculture and forestry, economic development and open space;
-	Build upon Regional Economic Development planning efforts to integrate plans for economic prosperity with efforts to promote long-term sustainability;
-	Identify indicators to measure our progress, including GHG emissions and energy use, available natural resources and economic assets, liabilities and opportunities; and
-	Describe projects that may apply for implementation funding from various funding sources including the NYSERDA Cleaner Greener Communities program.

The planning team invites your ideas and feedback on implementation projects that can help meet the region’s goals for sustainability.

You may submit project ideas via: www.sustainable-ny.com/form or by attending the public meeting most convenient for you:

Monday, October 15, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Millennium Hotel, Cleveland Room
2040 Walden Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14225

Thursday, October 18, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Jamestown Community College, Weeks Reception Hall
525 Falconer Street, Jamestown, NY 14702

Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Niagara County Community College, Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Room E142
3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, NY 14132

Thursday, October 25, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Moonwinks Restaurant
9302 Jackson Hill Road, Cuba, NY 14727

The project is funded by a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority as a part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Cleaner, Greener Communities Program. The participating counties are Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara. The planning team is led by Allegany County, with support from Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board, Ecology and Environment, Inc., and the University at Buffalo Regional Institute.
To learn more about the project or to submit feedback via email, please visit www.sustainable-ny.com.
To view a copy of the Newspaper Ad please go here: Sustainable Fall Public Meeting Ad
For questions about the project or the upcoming public meetings, please contact Elizabeth Santacrose (Ecology and Environment) at (716) 684-8060.

Public Workshops: Brownfield Opportunity Areas

The City of Buffalo has been awarded three grants from the New York Department of State to undertake studies at important Brownfield Opportunity Areas.

The studies will be led by the City of Buffalo Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning, which has retained the expertise of land use, environmental, and economic consultants to formulate documents, and manage the study process.

Public Workshops will be held to discuss “Findings & Directions for the Future” for the three Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) listed below:

Buffalo Harbor BOA
January 25th, 2012 from

Three BOA Locations [Click image]

6:00pm to 9:00 pm
Buffalo Waterfront Elementary School
Faculty Entrance (North Entry)
95 4th Street
Click here to download invitation

Buffalo River Corridor BOA
January 26th, 2012 from
6:00pm to 9:00 pm
Valley Community Center
93 Leddy Street
Click here to download invitation

Tonawanda Street Corridor BOA
February 1, 2012 from
6:00pm to 9:00 pm
Riverside High School
51 Ontario Street
Click here to download invitation

To learn more about the program and the opportunities, visit the website for Buffalo Brownfield Opportunities.

Public Meeting: Buffalo Land Use & Zoning

The City of Buffalo is working to revamp its city-wide land use and zoning regulations. The resulting “Buffalo Green Code” will guide the character of future development for years to come. It aims to grow our economy, protect our environment, preserve the natural and cultural heritage of our city, and build great neighborhoods. Because it will have a comprehensive and long-lasting impact, Mayor Brown is committed to making this effort open and accessible to all citizens.

We will begin the work by listening to citizens about their hopes for the future of Buffalo. Please plan to participate in one of the three city-wide conversations, each held at 7:00pm – 8:45pm, on the following dates and locations:

1. Tuesday, November 16, Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Parkway, Buffalo [Map]
2. Wednesday November 17, Bennett High School, 2885 Main St, Buffalo [Map]
3. Thursday, November 18, Tosh Collins Community Center, 35 Cazenovia St, Buffalo [Map]

Getting it right means making sure it works for you. And we can’t do that without you. So, join us in making our vision for the future a reality. Also, please help spread the word about the meetings around town.

On behalf of Mayor Byron W. Brown, I thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event.

Sincerely,

Robert Shibley
info@BuffaloGreenCode.com

To see a newsletter for more details, click here.

To visit the Buffalo Green Code website, click here.