Subscribe now

Environment

The EU could greatly reduce carbon emissions by embracing GM crops

By Michael Le Page

26 March 2021

Field of maize

A field of maize in the Limagne plain, France

JAUBERT French Collection/Alamy

The European Union could greatly reduce carbon emissions by embracing genetically engineered crops. If EU countries had grown genetically modified crops in 2017, in total they would have cut greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 33 million tonnes of carbon dioxide that year, according to an analysis.

The reason is that GM crops have higher average yields, meaning less land is needed to produce the same amount of food. “That can reduce clearing of new agricultural land,” says study co-author Emma Kovak at the Breakthrough Institute…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop