Policy Brief: Soil as part of climate solution – agricultural policy reform to promote climate-smart agriculture

Abstract

As part of Finland’s goal of being carbon neutral in 2035, also agriculture must reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. About half of agricultural GHG emissions is caused by the cultivation of peat soils. Hence, the largest and quickest emission reductions are possible by changes in the agricultural practices on peat soils. Furthermore, croplands on mineral soils can be converted from emission sources to carbon sinks by diversifying cultivation methods and, thus, improving soil health. The Finnish agricultural policy should guide agriculture to take on climate measures on both peat and mineral soils. A sufficiently extensive selection of measures is required so that different farms can choose alternatives suitable for them. The adoption of new methods requires changes in the farmers’ thinking, and in their approach to farm management. In order to ensure a fair transition to climate-smart land use, we must know the income effects of the climate measures in different areas and for different production sectors.