An assessment of the linkages between GM crop biotechnology and climate change mitigation

ABSTRACT

This article provides an analysis and evaluation of peer-reviewed evidence on the contribution of crop biotechnology to climate change mitigation and adaption. While there is a range of agricultural technologies and products that contribute to climate change mitigation, this literature landscape analysis focuses on the development of genetically modified traits, their use and adoption in major commodity crops and responsive changes in production techniques. Jointly, these technologies and products are contributing to climate change mitigation, yet the technology, the literature and evidence is still evolving as more sophisticated research methods are used with greater consistency. The literature analysis is undertaken with consideration of the consequential impact that regulatory regimes have on technology development. This assessment utilizes the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale and citation analysis, concluding that GM crops provide benefits that contribute to climate change mitigation.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon sequestration
• chemical use changes
• GHG emissions
• land conservation/use
• soil health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

^a. The list of 72 countries includes all of the 26 European Union countries as a single country. If counted as separate countries, the number rises to 98.

^b. These domains have been adapted from the FAO’s⁹¹ five key principles of sustainability for food and agriculture.

^c. The combination of atrazine restrictions and increased HT corn production contributed to a reduction in herbicide modes of action that were being applied. Dong et al.²⁷ concluded that the reduction in the diversity of weed control options may contribute to an increase in the potential for herbicide resistance in weeds. The authors highlight that the regulatory efforts to restrict atrazine in groundwater might have a knock-on effect of more herbicide resistant weeds, which may need to be controlled by tillage, which in turn works to increase soil erosion and a deterioration in water quality.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the CropLife International.