There is a complex relationship between climate change and land use; both affect each other in various ways. 

 Just as land use causes emissions of greenhouse gases that lead to climate change, climate change can also impose certain restrictions on land use practices as a form of adaptation to climate change.

Farmers are shifting from growing traditional crops to cultivating types of agricultural products that yield them more money in an effort to avoid losses caused by high temperatures.

However, the weather conditions may force farmers to cultivate specific types of crops, altering the agricultural seasons.

Net-zero Goal

Nevertheless, due to its importance in relation to global food security and the greenhouse gas emissions it produces, the issue of land use has long occupied the climate action agenda.

In this regard, a research group from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom conducted a study examining mechanisms to support land use for optimal outcomes so that the UK can achieve its environmental goal of reaching net zero by 2050. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal "PNAS" in November 2024.

Mechanism Change

The United Kingdom has pledged to achieve net-zero by 2050, particularly following its 2021 hosting of the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.

The United Kingdom's interest in supporting land use also became apparent. Several mechanisms, such as offering landowners fixed subsidies per hectare for converting agricultural lands into forests and planting trees instead of agricultural crops, reflected this interest. This is done regardless of whether the agricultural lands are suitable for planting trees or not.

Researchers found that these subsidies are ineffective and costly, and they may even increase net greenhouse gas emissions. Because there are many farms that may have inherently low productivity, their lands do not support tree growth, and their soils contain large amounts of carbon, which could lead to the release of significant amounts of greenhouse gases, here the negative impact emerges. 

From this perspective, researchers found that the optimal solution is to change the support mechanisms by targeting agricultural lands that can achieve the desired climate goals, including their suitability for tree planting and transformation into forests, and by providing subsidies to their owners.

This approach would also enhance biodiversity, help the UK achieve its climate goals, and support better land use.