Science-based evidence on agricultural policies to mitigate GHG emissions

The Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Uses (AFOLU) sector accounts for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this significant share, AFOLU has received comparatively limited policy attention relative to other major emitting sectors, such as energy and transport. We review ex-post analyses of emission reduction strategies within the AFOLU sector to facilitate more informed policymaking. We found that non-market-based instruments are substantially more effective, achieving emission decreases over six times greater than those realized through market-based approaches. Among all policies, the best results are produced by protected areas.