Climate Change: The Role of the U.S. Agriculture Sector and Congressional Action

Johnson, Renée

Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.

关键词: Climatic changes;    Global climate change;    Agriculture;    Greenhouse gases;   

RP-ID  :  RL33898
RP-ID  :  RL33898_2009Jul31

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This report is organized in three parts. First, it discusses the extent of GHG emissions associated with the U.S. agriculture sector, and cites current and potential estimates for U.S. agricultural soils to sequester carbon and partly offset national GHG emissions. Second, the report describes the types of land management and farm conservation practices that can reduce GHG emissions and/or sequester carbon in agricultural soils, highlighting those practices that are currently promoted under existing voluntary federal agricultural programs. Finally, the report describes legislative action within the ongoing climate change debate as well as enacted changes in the 2008 farm bill (Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246) that could expand the scope of existing farm and forestry conservation programs in ways that could more broadly encompass certain aspects of these climate change initiatives. The report concludes with a discussion of some of the types of questions that may be raised regarding the role of the U.S. agriculture sector in the broader climate change debate.