Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, and Food Supply under the Paris Climate Agreement—Policy Choice in Norway

We study the potential for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions without sacrificing food security in Norway. We show that it is possible to achieve a 40% reduction in direct agricultural emissions without compromising domestic food supply in terms of calories and protein. Combined GHG and food supply targets can be met using substantially less land and agricultural support. Dietary changes involve a 30% reduction in meat consumption and a 10% to 20% reduction in the consumption of dairy products, counterbalanced by increased consumption of vegetable products. Although the numerical results are specific to Norway, they are relevant for other rich countries. A consistent pattern in these countries is that ruminant animals impose a heavy toll in terms of both GHG emissions and land use relative to their contribution to food energy production.