CULMINATING EXPERIENCE PRESENTATION

INTEGRATING
AGRICULTURE INTO STATE
CLIMATE EFFORTS
Anna Harmon, MSUS 2019

URGENT PROBLEM

CLIMATE
CHANGE
pbs.org/newshour/science/parts-california-begin-emerge-five-year-drought

AGRICULTURE

CAUSE
9% GHGs
in US (EPA)

VICTIM

Extreme heat
& weather, pests,
drought (USDA)

PART OF SOLUTION
250 million tons CO2/year
sequestered in US (NAS)
+reduced GHG emissions

PROJECT
■ Phase 1 of an agricultural policy toolkit for U.S. states
■ Targeting state climate efforts
■ Partners:

US CLIMATE ALLIANCE

TOOLKIT OVERVIEW

PROGRAM &
POLICY
OPPORTUNITIES
state, regional, federal

FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
federal, private sector

QUANTIFICATION
TOOLS
& METHODOLOGIES
overview, assessment

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

ONGOING: WRI

DELIVERABLES
•
•
•
•

Toolkit outline
Toolkit protocol
State profiles for 14 Alliance members
Comparative assessment (15 members)

DELIVERABLES : State Profiles
Create baseline of what exists at each state
Example: Colorado
• 76 conservation districts, Colorado Carbon Fund, Colorado State
University
• Agricultural Energy Efficiency Program, Water Plan Grant Fund Program
• State background: 31.8M acres, cattle & small grains, drought and other
water impacts predicted
State
Profiles

Refine and
Update
Profiles

Interviews
with State
Teams

Data
Analysis

Draft
Toolkit 1.0

DELIVERABLES : Initial Results of Comparison
STATE/TERRITORY SUPPORT FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION
AND/OR GHG EMISSIONS REDUCTION IN AGRICULTURE
Farmland Conservation, Preservation
Water Quality
Nutrient Management
On-Farm Energy (RE/EE)
Climate Resiliency
Healthy Soils
Water Efficiency
Methane Reduction
15 states/territory

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

ASSESSMENT : Highlights
“Circles of Sustainability” framework

• Strongest in Environment,
Economics, then Society
• Recommendations: other
stakeholders, representation in
case studies, local food

Society (Politics & Culture)

EXPERIENCE
Helped initiate and contribute to a
multi-partner, nearly national project
•
•
•
•

Be flexible
Strive to maintain and communicate vision,
manageable scope
Consider expertise and audience of new
collaborators
Pursue stakeholder engagement and feedback

FUTURE WORK
• Social sustainability
• Regenerative agriculture, forestry
• Completing toolkit

CONCLUSION

THANK YOU
aharmon3@asu.edu

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