Farmers in many parts of the world set fire to cultivated fields to clear stubble, weeds and waste before sowing a new crop. While this practice may be fast and economical, it is highly unsustainable, as it produces large amounts of the particle pollutant black carbon and reduces the fertility of soil.
Many farmers are well aware of the consequences of open burning but lack the tools and knowledge to adopt alternative practices. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s Agriculture Initiative supports regional networks and projects that facilitate the adoption of open burning alternatives. These “no burn” methods have the potential to reduce black carbon emissions by half, while simultaneously providing economic and social benefits for farmers.
The environmental and human costs of agricultural open burning far outweigh the near-term economic benefits for farmers.
Responsible for more than a third of all black carbon emissions, open burning is the single largest source of black carbon, a short-lived climate pollutant that contributes to air pollution, climate change, and increased melting in the cryosphere (regions of snow and ice). Open burning also represents one of the largest causes of air pollution-related illnesses and deaths after cookstoves.
Over time, the repeated practice of open burning becomes costly to farmers. Successive fires destroy the organic matter that makes soil fertile, causing crop yields to decrease over time and increasing the need for costly fertilizers. Smoke and spreading flames also pose a risk to neighbouring communities, buildings, and fields.
Agriculture residues are often a valuable resource worth saving. Crop stubble can be used as an energy source when converted into pellets, and straw can be used in livestock feed or bedding.
The Coalition's Agriculture Initiative supports the development of replicable and scalable "no burn" alternatives in the Eastern Himalayas and Andes regions, which are particularly sensitive to the warming effects of black carbon. It works with regional networks to promote alternative practices that are tailored to local environments and crops.
The work consists of identifying the main open burning sources in the targeted regions and carrying out on-the-ground demonstrations of no-burn practices to educate local communities.
Each project sets out to achieve:
A robust and flexible approach that embraces local input and expertise, together with the range of cultural dynamics and practices, climactic conditions, landscapes, and soil diversity, is most effective in addressing open agricultural burning.
The Coalition will create a Strategic Support Group in the Himalayas and the Andes regions to provide targeted expertise, advice and technical support to regional governments, farmer associations and others wishing to decrease local open burning. The members of the groups will also define regional and global strategies to raise awareness about the impacts of open burning and the alternatives.
Other interventions include:
Key ahievements to date:
Lead Partner: A Coalition partner with an active role in coordinating, monitoring and guiding the work of an initiative.
Implementer: A Coalition partner or actor receiving Coalition funds to implement an activity or initiative.
The website - openburningcryosphere.org - provides detailed information on the Climate and Clean Air Coalition's (CCAC...
Factsheet prepared by the CCAC on Open Burning mitigation options. Preventing open burning is part of the CCAC's Agriculture Initiative and aims to reduce black carbon emissions.
A Climate and Clean Air Coalition project summary report: Impacts and Reduction of Open Burning in the Andes, Himalayas – and Globally
Annual maps (2003-2013) of observed Fires in Bolivia and Chile. From all Land Cover Types .
Annual maps (2003-2013) of observed Fires in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. From all Land Cover Types .
Annual maps (2003-2013) and example monthly maps of observed fires in Andean Countries and Western Brazil.
The slides include:
