Climate
“With the right tools and partnerships, American agriculture and forestry can lead the world in solutions that will increase climate resilience, sequester carbon, enhance agricultural productivity, and maintain critical environmental benefits.” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
The Foreign Agricultural Service leads USDA's international efforts to put agriculture at the center of solutions to the climate crisis, focusing on trade, food systems, food security, sustainable production growth, capacity building, and related issues. We recognize that innovation and technology are key to sustainable, climate-smart agricultural production, but that those innovations must be accessible to, and inclusive of, all producers and land managers worldwide.
Climate Solutions at USDA
USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity, and natural resources. Through research, conservation practices, and partnerships, USDA aims to find solutions to agricultural challenges, enhance economic growth, and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers, and private foresters. Click here to learn more.
USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
USDA is committed to supporting a diverse range of farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners through Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. This effort will expand markets for America’s climate-smart commodities, leverage the greenhouse gas benefits of climate-smart commodity production, and provide direct, meaningful benefits to production agriculture, including for small and underserved producers. Click here to learn more.
USDA Climate Hubs
Since 2014, USDA’s 10 regional Climate Hubs have delivered science-based, region-specific information and technologies to help farmers, ranchers, foresters, other land managers, and rural communities plan for and manage weather- and climate-related risks and vulnerabilities. Click here to learn more.
International Partnerships and Coalitions
Recognizing that joint international action is key to ensuring global food security while enhancing agriculture's climate resilience and reducing its climate impacts, USDA is partnering with governments, non-governmental organizations, and private enterprises worldwide.
Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate
The United States and the United Arab Emirates are leading the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), a joint initiative to address the climate crisis through increased and accelerated investment in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation. Click here to visit the AIM for Climate website (external).
White House Fact Sheet: Launching Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate
Global Fertilizer Challenge
The Global Fertilizer Challenge will support innovative research, demonstrations, and training to help countries with high fertilizer usage and loss adopt efficient nutrient management and alternative fertilizers and cropping systems. Click here to learn more.
Global Methane Pledge
The livestock and dairy industries are a key part of the climate solution, implementing systems and practices that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, including methane. At COP26 in November 2021, the European Union, the United States, and other partners committed to reduce methane emissions by at least 30 percent below 2020 levels by 2030. Click here to visit the Global Methane Pledge website (external).
State Department Fact Sheet: From Moment to Momentum
Pathways to Dairy Net Zero
USDA is pleased to support Pathways to Dairy Net Zero, which is bringing together organizations throughout the dairy supply chain and dairy farms of every size and type around the world to collectively achieve net zero emissions in the next 30 years. Click here visit the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero website (external).
Sustainable Productivity Growth Coalition
USDA launched the Coalition for Sustainable Productivity Growth at the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021. The coalition is another channel for cooperation to foster more sustainable and climate-smart agriculture, while ensuring the availability and affordability of food around the world. Click here to learn more.
US-EU Collaboration Platform on Agriculture (CPA)
Launched in late 2021, the CPA is a joint endeavor between USDA and the EU Directorate-General for Agriculture (DG AGRI) to foster communication, information exchange, and mutual understanding as we work together to ensure a sustainable, climate-smart future for agriculture. Click here to learn more.
FAS has a global network of nearly 100 offices covering approximately 180 countries. These offices are staffed by agricultural attachés and local experts who work with host governments, international organizations, and local partners and land managers to address climate challenges. Learn more about USDA's climate-related activities in various parts of the world by contacting any one of our international offices.
Data and Analysis
Aviation is responsible for more than two percent of all global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Most of this CO2 is emitted when fossil-fuel-derived jet fuel is combusted. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a key part of the aviation industry’s plan to reduce carbon emissions.
As an economic sector, agriculture contributes to just over 10 percent to Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Canada’s vision for agriculture to fight climate change is based on creating opportunities to improve carbon sequestration in agricultural lands, to stimulate the adoption of clean technologies on farms, and to support farmers in adopting greener on-farm practices to reduce GHG emissions.
Japan’s Ministry of the Environment opened public comment period on proposed revisions of the Basic Policy of the Green Procurement Act. One proposed change includes greater emphasis in government procurement decisions on the greenhouse gas emission value of goods and services. Comments must be submitted in Japanese by December 6, 2022.
News and Features
February 28, 2023
EU Commissioner Gets First-Hand Look at U.S. Farming
Tom Vilsack and European Union Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski traveled to a family-owned and operated grain and vegetable farm in Maryland so the Commissioner could learn more about U.S. agriculture and its commitment to climate-smart, sustainable production.
February 14, 2023
Former Vice President Gore to Keynote AIM for Climate Summit
Former Vice President Al Gore will be the opening keynote speaker at the AIM for Climate Summit May 8-10 in Washington.
February 6, 2023
FAS Expands Exports, Advances Climate Resilience, Strengthens Food Security in 2022
USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service had an exceptional year in 2022, expanding U.S. agricultural trade, ramping up climate change resiliency work, and improving food and nutrition security around the globe.