The transition of agriculture to low carbon pathways with regional distributive impacts

Abstract

This study, based on agricultural sector modelling, shows how changes in food consumption and land use measures can reduce GHG emissions from Finnish agriculture, and what are the impacts on regional levels of agricultural production, land use, GHG emissions, and farm income. The results demonstrate that it is difficult to achieve a large reduction in GHG emissions from agriculture by just changing diet alone. There is a big disparity in the distribution of farm income among the main regions in Finland due to a radical decrease in the consumption of livestock products. However, land use measures alone do not create the disparity in farm income among the different regions. Combining changes in diet and land use is the most effective in mitigating GHG emissions from agriculture, but the relatively disadvantaged regions with high shares of livestock production and peatlands may experience major restructuring in agriculture and land use.