Irrigation’s Climate Silver Lining: A Nuanced View Irrigation in the United States might have a climate benefit greater than its emissions, according to recent research. The study estimates that 6.
86 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions are avoided through reduced land conversion, an amount roughly equal to 363 years' worth of current annual U. S. irrigation emissions.
To put this into perspective, the total carbon sequestered in U. S. forests is estimated at around 3. 5 gigatons per year. Preserving natural ecosystems has a profound impact on the climate.