Land Use and the Causes of Global Warming

Global watming through the enhanced greehouse effect is one of themajor and most uncertain forces of global environmental changepresently facing the earth. This book is a guide to the scientificand policy debate concerning the roles of agriculture, forestry andother activities leading to global warming. The influence of landuse on the greehouse effect is important, not only in terms of netemissions of greenhouse gases, but also in the potential to reduceemissions through changing land use policies.

Land Use and the Causes of Global Warming reviews the globalemissions of greenhouse gases from land use sources, highlightingthe undertainties in estimating both the magnitude of the fluxesand the scale of land use change. Policies of afforestation,policies to encourage the halting of deforestation and changingmanagement pravctices in agriculture are all examined from theperspectives of feasibility, cost and equity. The authorsillustrate how all land use policies are multi-objective but thatthe reduction of grenhouse gas emissions must be a key element inforestry and agriculture policy on a global bais. This is aninvaluable book for all thoe in the climate change researchcommunity, environmental scientits, economists and social scientitsin research institutions.