Topics on this page
This page is a clearing house of Educational Materials related to GHG emission and mitigation strategies from working lands, organized by topic.
GHG 101: Introduction to Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
This section provides an introduction to how greenhouse gases (GHG) impact the climate, which gases are emitted from agriculture/forestry/homeowners, and the basic GHG reduction strategies that landowners can implement.
Webinar: Introduction to agricultural Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission and mitigation potential – a New York case study applicable to the Northeast, presented by Jenifer Wightman (Cornell University, Soil & Crop Sciences) October 21, 2021
Sources of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
United States Agricultural GHG Inventory – Learn about the 3 key GHGs that agriculture has to tackle (CH4, N2O, CO2)
Northeast USA Agricultural GHG Inventory – Learn how 10 NE states are poised for action on climate change in ag!
New York Agricultural GHG Inventory – forthcoming!
Key Concepts and Terms
Glossary of Terms (brief description of terms)
Learn about the “Greenhouse effect” and the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of different gases
Methane 101, forthcoming
Act Now
Identify 5 conceptual strategies to reduce, destroy, or sequester GHG on Working Lands.
Choose among 13 GHG mitigation strategies that hold promise for NE USA Working Lands.
Fund$ to support Climate Smart Farming!
NYS AGM Climate Smart Farming funds for soil health, nitrogen management, manure management and more!
USDA funds for PA for soil health, Nitrogen management, livestock waste management, grazing, agroforestry and more!
Adaptation and Resiliency
Climate Smart Farming Decision Making Tools
Permanence, and why is it so important for the Long-Game of Climate Change?
Additionality: What is it, really?
Value of Carbon? – Great Question!
Soils & GHG
This sections provides a more detailed introduction to the complexities of Net Soil GHG mitigation. Notably, to account for net emissions, farms need to consider both carbon and nitrogen cycles that make net GHG benefit complicated. Key issues include how soil carbon sequestration is easily reversible (is not permanent mitigation) and small increases in nitrous oxide (~300x more potent GHG than CO2 captured as Soil Organic Carbon) can easily negate soil carbon sequestration benefits (from a GHG accounting standpoint, not a soil health perspective).
Webinar: Examining net greenhouse gas impacts of soil health practices – using the FAST-GHG tool and key research results. presented by Peter Woodbury (Cornell University, Soil & Crop Sciences) October 21, 2021
Coming Soon:
Introduction to Soil Carbon Sequestration
Guide to using the Fast-GHG tool to evaluate net-GHG benefit from soil health practices
Ways to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from field nitrogen
Livestock Management & GHG
Coming soon! Notably, this livestock is dominated by methane, a short lived greenhouse gas that has large impact on warming. Because methane is a significantly more potent GHG, small reductions in emissions has a large impact on mitigation. We promise to have some more fact sheets here soon. In the meantime, look for ways to reduce methane in this Manure Management InfoSheet!
Webinar: The Role of Models in Farm Systems Management for GHG Mitigation presented by Kristan Foster Reed (Assistant Professor of Dairy Cattle Nutrition & Management, Cornell University). November 18, 2021
Webinar: Feed Management Implementation From a PA NRCS Perspective- Moving from Water Quality to GHG Mitigation presented by Dan Ludwig (State Resource Conservationist, USDA-NRCS Pennsylvania). November 18, 2021
Manure Management & GHG
Forests & GHG
Forests provide a myriad of ways of engaging land to grow carbon into new trees, renewable energy, or long lived wood products. Each of these options has very different mechanism to reduce atmospheric carbon though carbon sequestration in tree biomass. Plus, forest management and afforestation (planting trees where there haven’t been trees for a long time) has many co-benefits like increased markets, wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and meaningful resources for future generations! New fact sheets coming, but in the meantime, try cutting your GHG with this in depth Inforsheet for Forests.
Webinar: Forest Management for Climate Change Mitigation in New York presented by Tim Fahey (Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor @Cornell University). December 16, 2021.
Webinar: New York State climate change legislation impact on forests and carbon sequestration statewide panel recommendations and current incentives for private landowners presented by Bryan Ellis (Forest Climate Section Leader, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Lands and Forests @New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS DEC). December 16, 2021
Forest Management:Forest Connect Webinar Series!
Silvopasture: Silvopasture network
Climate & Applied Forest Research Institute
Land Use & GHG
Energy & GHG
We look forward to filling this out in the future. In the meantime, we recommend these sites:
Farm Energy Efficiency InfoSheet – by Deb Grantham.
NY Ag Energy (a collaboration between NYSERDA and Cornell Cooperative Extension – Tompkins County).
List of funding opportunities for getting assistance on Energy Efficiency.
Woody Biomass: Willow/Woody Biomass Project
Renewable Natural Gas: ProDairy
Solar –
CCE Solar Resources, general resource
Legal Contract Considerations, Really worth watching.
Pyrolysis (for energy and biochar), International Biochar Initiative
Food Waste & GHG
Fact Sheets and Webinars, To Be Developed. In the meantime, check out these great initiatives!
NYS Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law, goes into effect Jan 2022!
NYS Food Waste Diversion: NYS Pollution Prevention Institute
NYC Zero Waste Challenge (0x30 meaning zero waste by 2030!) Can they (ahem, we) do it?!
No Whey!? Yogurt waste repurposed as Sports Drink, let’s chat about waste over Beer?
Cornell Waste Management Institute
Policy & GHG
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Want to help build a diverse, inclusive, and equitable future for NYS? Read the Report from NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets Diversity and Racial Equity Workgroup.
CLCPA & Forest Policy (as of October 2021): Focus on Forest and Wood Products Jared Snyder, Robert Davies, Carl Mas
RGGI 101 – Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (electricity sector regulation and their offset guidelines)
More To Be Developed, stay tuned!
