A new international study led by Queensland University of Technology shows global farmland could become a powerful climate solution. Published in Plant Physiology, the research outlines a framework comparing carbon-mitigation strategies — from reduced nitrogen fertiliser use to advanced synthetic biology. The findings reveal agriculture’s vast potential to cut emissions and boost carbon storage, offering a scalable roadmap for climate-smart farming.
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The world’s farms could become one of the most effective tools for tackling climate change, according to a new international study led by Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Published in Plant Physiology, the research presents a framework for evaluating how plant agriculture and advances in synthetic biology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon storage.
Lead author Professor Claudia Vickers — from the QUT School of Biology and Environmental Science, the Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, the QUT Centre for Environment and Society, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology — explained that although agriculture is a major source of global emissions, its enormous land footprint means that even small gains in carbon capture or emissions reduction could have a significant global impact.
“Global croplands are estimated to capture more than 115 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually through photosynthesis,” she said.
“Even modest improvements in how crops capture, use, and store that carbon, if applied across existing farmland, could deliver huge climate benefits.”
Comparing Strategies for Carbon Mitigation
The study presents a quantitative framework for comparing a wide range of climate-mitigation strategies — from bioengineered crop traits to non-genetic approaches such as biochar and reforestation.
Vickers said the framework allows for true “apples-to-apples” comparisons by evaluating not only the carbon captured per hectare but also scalability, durability, technical feasibility and socioeconomic suitability.
The researchers concluded that cutting dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilisers offers one of the fastest, highest-impact opportunities, with gigaton-scale potential for reducing global carbon emissions.
Over the longer term, synthetic biology solutions could collectively remove up to 260 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the next century.
The analysis shows that although carbon capture per hectare varies widely between approaches, overall impact is driven primarily by how widely each strategy can be deployed. The authors stress that no single intervention will be enough on its own.
Instead, a portfolio approach is required — combining proven, ready-to-use methods with emerging technologies still under development.
Vickers noted that effective strategies must be technically feasible, economically viable, durable, scalable and designed to minimise ecological harm.
“Improving agricultural carbon sequestration also helps deliver to food, feed and fiber priorities, along with farmer income and security. This makes these solutions triple bottom line solutions — addressing social, environmental, and economic outcomes,” she said.
“Agriculture is uniquely positioned to both feed the world and fight climate change. But we need to focus on the interventions that can deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes. Our work provides a roadmap to do just that.”
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