U.S. Agriculture's Role in a Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation World: An Economic Perspective uri icon

abstract

  • International agreements are likely to stimulate greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. Agriculture can participate either as a source of emission reductions or as a sink for gas emission storage. Emission trading markets are likely to emerge where agriculture could sell emission offsets. Several agricultural opportunities are available at a cost of $1025 per ton carbon dioxide. Abatement costs for non-agricultural industries have been estimated to be as much as $200250 per ton carbon dioxide. In the longer run, agriculture's role may diminish because many agricultural strategies offer only one-time gains and non-agricultural emitters may lower costs through technical change.

published proceedings

  • Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy

author list (cited authors)

  • McCarl, B. A., & Schneider, U. A.

citation count

  • 103

complete list of authors

  • McCarl, Bruce A||Schneider, Uwe A

publication date

  • June 2000