ABSTRACT
Agricultural productivity is of obvious importance to human welfare. Climate is a major determinant of both the location and the productivity of agricultural enterprises. Most studies have evaluated the sensitivity of several dimensions of agricultural activity to climate change, including yields, input use, and locational patterns. When considered globally, the agricultural sector is more than a receptor of possible climatic changes arising from anthropogenic trace-gas emissions; it is a source of trace gases, including a Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). There are few economic evaluations of the costs to agricultural producers and consumers of strategies for reducing CH4, CO2, and N2O emissions from agriculture. Large shifts in agricultural land use suggest reduced agricultural output and rising commodity prices. The contribution of agricultural sources to total trace-gas emissions varies by individual gas and location. An important issue in evaluating agricultural land as a potential site for forest plantations is the inventory of lands capable of growing trees.
