Expansion of agriculture in northern cold-climate regions; A Cross-sectoral perspective on opportunities and challenges

寒冷気候地域における農業の拡大; 機会と課題に関する分野横断的な視点

Unc, A.*; Altdorff, D.*; Abakumov, E.*; Adl, S.*; Baldursson, S.*; Bechtold, M.*; Cattani, D. J.*; Firbank, L. G.*; Grand, S.*; Gudjonsdottir, M.*; Kallenbach, C.*; Kedir, A. J.*; Li, P.*; McKenzie, D. B.*; Misra, D.*; 永野 博彦   ; Neher, D. A.*; Niemi, J.*; Oelbermann, M.*; Lehmann, J. O.*; Parsons, D.*; Quideau, S.*; Sharkhuu, A.*; Smreczak, B.*; Sorvali, J.*; Vallotton, J. D.*; Whalen, J. K.*; Young, E. H.*; Zhang, M.*; Borchard, N.*

Unc, A.*; Altdorff, D.*; Abakumov, E.*; Adl, S.*; Baldursson, S.*; Bechtold, M.*; Cattani, D. J.*; Firbank, L. G.*; Grand, S.*; Gudjonsdottir, M.*; Kallenbach, C.*; Kedir, A. J.*; Li, P.*; McKenzie, D. B.*; Misra, D.*; Nagano, Hirohiko; Neher, D. A.*; Niemi, J.*; Oelbermann, M.*; Lehmann, J. O.*; Parsons, D.*; Quideau, S.*; Sharkhuu, A.*; Smreczak, B.*; Sorvali, J.*; Vallotton, J. D.*; Whalen, J. K.*; Young, E. H.*; Zhang, M.*; Borchard, N.*

本レビュー論文では、関連分野を研究する科学者の意識調査と既存文献の調査を実施し、地球温暖化の加速が寒冷な北方地域を地域および世界の農業セクター拡大にとってますます魅力的なターゲットにしていることを明らかにした。ただし、こうした活動の持続可能な長期的発展は、信頼性のある関連知見に対し全てのステークホルダーが容易にアクセスできる場合にのみ実現できる、という共通認識があることも明らかになった。特に、北方地域における農業の拡大は、温室効果ガス収支や生物多様性、生態系サービスに対し、負の影響をもたらす傾向にあることが明らかになってきている。以上より、寒冷な北方地域における農業の拡大と強化は、社会的な向上とニュートラルな環境影響とを両立できる計画の下で遂行される必要がある。

Agriculture in the boreal and Arctic regions is perceived as marginal, low intensity and inadequate to satisfy the needs of local communities, but another perspective is that northern agriculture has untapped potential to increase the local supply of food and even contribute to the global food system. Policies across northern jurisdictions target the expansion and intensification of agriculture, contextualized for the diverse social settings and market foci in the north. However, the rapid pace of climate change means that traditional methods of adapting cropping systems and developing infrastructure and regulations for this region cannot keep up with climate change impacts. Moreover, the anticipated conversion of northern cold-climate natural lands to agriculture risks a loss of up to 76% of the carbon stored in vegetation and soils, leading to further environmental impacts. The sustainable development of northern agriculture requires local solutions supported by locally relevant policies. There is an obvious need for the rapid development of a transdisciplinary, cross-jurisdictional, long-term knowledge development, and dissemination program to best serve food needs and an agricultural economy in the boreal and Arctic regions while minimizing the risks to global climate, northern ecosystems and communities.