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MSU’s ‘Our Table’ talks climate change
Academics recently explored how the changing climate is impacting the global food system and ways agriculture is adapting during a panel discussion hosted by Michigan State University.
Michael Webber at the University of Texas-Austin says agriculture has become caught in the cross hairs of climate change as part of the problem, one of the victims, and a possible solution.
“There’s a lot of things the food and agricultural system can do to that will either avoid CO2 emissions, improve efficiency, or actually take CO2 out of the atmosphere.”
He points to improving refrigeration technology to lower energy consumption, using digesters to capture methane, and increasing carbon sequestration efforts as ways to reduce emissions.
Geneticist Pamela Ronald at UC Davis says technologies like genetic modification and gene editing are useful ways to work through climate limitations and provide resiliency.
“Farmers themselves really need tools and resources, unfortunately, to adapt to the changing climate.”
Researchers also discussed how change is needed in all levels of the food system to make an impact on the climate.
