Agricultural Climate Solutions Workshop

Part of the Minnesota’s Clean Energy Future Series

In Minnesota, three sectors – agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU); electricity generation; and transportation – account for more than three quarters of the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While pathways for GHG reduction in the electricity generation and transportation sectors have been determined, comprehensive planning for the AFOLU sector – which alone accounts for more than 22% of state wide GHG emissions – is needed.

With this need in mind, the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) is currently investigating Minnesota’s land use-based GHG mitigation and sequestration options in a strategic initiative aimed at helping the state achieve its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals quickly, sustainably, and equitably.

Our next step? An invited, multi-stakeholder, 5-part workshop held in fall 2020 focused on better understanding and overcoming challenges to adopting climate solutions in the agricultural sector while preserving farmer livelihoods. The workshop’s goal was to collaboratively generate research project ideas on knowledge gaps, policy solutions and market solutions to promote adoption of agriculture sector climate solutions. The outcome of the workshop were seed grants, funded by the McKnight Foundation and IonE, for collaborative projects that address these challenges.

Fall 2020 Event Sponsors