Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Air Quality
110
1 1 0
The electrification of transportation within agriculture includes electric tractors and trucks, as well as cars. There is progress with respect to
the development of new products and their use by farmers. The electrical
energy for use on the farm can be produced by adding solar panels to farm
buildings and generating electricity for local use, and battery storage can
be used to manage supply and demand of electricity. Some farms are able
to be connected to a local electrical grid, whereas others may need to be
served by an off- grid system developed and operated by the farmer (see
Chapter 9).
There are land use issues that arise in agriculture because of the competition between food production, crops intended for ethanol production,
land devoted to wind and solar energy generation, and land used for the
production of wood (paper) and cotton (fabrics). Some of these land use
issues are less difficult than others. For instance, solar panels can often be
placed on buildings, over parking lots, and on land that is not suitable for
farming.
Much of the technical development for advancing sustainable agriculture has been achieved, and part of the challenge now is getting those
developments recognized as having great value. Some of the acceptance process in agriculture relies on what farmers have learned by experimenting
in their fields. Therefore, it is important that extension service professionals
continue to distribute this valuable information. The Internet has also, of
course, become a valuable library and information system that is being used
in support of agriculture.
12.2 Sustainable Development Goals
As discussed in Chapter 2, the UN General Assembly (United Nations,
2015) adopted the resolution Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development on September 25, 2015. This resolution includes a set
of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are very high priorities for
both the United Nations and the signatories of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Many of these SDGs relate clearly to agriculture.
The second of these SDGs is to end hunger, achieve food security and
improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The sixth SDG
includes sustainable management of water. The seventh SDG is to ensure
access to sustainable energy for all. The fourteenth SDG includes sustainable
use of marine resources. The fifteenth SDG promotes sustainable management and use of land and terrestrial ecosystems. The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) has identified principles and 20 actions in support of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (FAO, 2018). These 20 actions are
strongly interrelated and are described as follows:
110
1 1 0
The electrification of transportation within agriculture includes electric tractors and trucks, as well as cars. There is progress with respect to
the development of new products and their use by farmers. The electrical
energy for use on the farm can be produced by adding solar panels to farm
buildings and generating electricity for local use, and battery storage can
be used to manage supply and demand of electricity. Some farms are able
to be connected to a local electrical grid, whereas others may need to be
served by an off- grid system developed and operated by the farmer (see
Chapter 9).
There are land use issues that arise in agriculture because of the competition between food production, crops intended for ethanol production,
land devoted to wind and solar energy generation, and land used for the
production of wood (paper) and cotton (fabrics). Some of these land use
issues are less difficult than others. For instance, solar panels can often be
placed on buildings, over parking lots, and on land that is not suitable for
farming.
Much of the technical development for advancing sustainable agriculture has been achieved, and part of the challenge now is getting those
developments recognized as having great value. Some of the acceptance process in agriculture relies on what farmers have learned by experimenting
in their fields. Therefore, it is important that extension service professionals
continue to distribute this valuable information. The Internet has also, of
course, become a valuable library and information system that is being used
in support of agriculture.
12.2 Sustainable Development Goals
As discussed in Chapter 2, the UN General Assembly (United Nations,
2015) adopted the resolution Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development on September 25, 2015. This resolution includes a set
of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are very high priorities for
both the United Nations and the signatories of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Many of these SDGs relate clearly to agriculture.
The second of these SDGs is to end hunger, achieve food security and
improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The sixth SDG
includes sustainable management of water. The seventh SDG is to ensure
access to sustainable energy for all. The fourteenth SDG includes sustainable
use of marine resources. The fifteenth SDG promotes sustainable management and use of land and terrestrial ecosystems. The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) has identified principles and 20 actions in support of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (FAO, 2018). These 20 actions are
strongly interrelated and are described as follows: