Chapter 25 Recommended practices for climate-smart urban and peri-urban agriculture
In: Sustainable food planning: evolving theory and practiceInstitute for Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 12666 – 72 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2M8, Canada
Search for other papers by Tara L. Moreau in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 12666 – 72 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2M8, Canada
Search for other papers by Tegan Adams in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Kent Mullinix in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Arthur Fallick in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Patrick M. Condon in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Agriculture’s reliance on synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and fossil fuels contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change in numerous ways – including land-use changes, machinery operations, chemical manufacture, chemical applications, leaching and runoff. In British Columbia, Canada, provincial policies mandate municipalities to reduce GHG emissions by 33% in 2020 and 80% in 2050. To initiate immediate action, over 170 Municipalities have signed the voluntary Climate Action Charter which commits them to becoming carbon neutral by 2012. For cities, moving towards carbon neutrality requires local governments to quantify, reduce and offset GHG emissions from public operations. Given the rise of agriculture within and around cities, the development and support for climate-smart agriculture is crucial to supporting production systems that can simultaneously address food security, emissions reductions and climate change adaption. A collaborative project between planners, landscape architects, local governments, agronomists and academic researchers is working to design ‘Low Carbon Communities’ by addressing urban issues related to buildings, transportation, energy, waste and food. Food work is being evaluated through an integrative framework for food systems planning within cities called Municipally Enabled and Supported Agriculture (MESA). With a particular focus on Metro Vancouver, the objective of this study in the context of MESA and Low Carbon Communities was to: categorise GHG emissions from agricultural production in the region, recommend climate-smart urban and peri-urban agricultural practices, explore the potential of carbon sequestration in urban and peri-urban agriculture, and identify measurable indicators for climate-smart practices. Key recommendations for implementing MESA are discussed.