Climate Change Solutions Update

Category: Food, Agriculture, Land & Ocean (FALO)

Cut Emissions:
– Curb Growing Demands
– Restore & Manage Ecosystems
– Shift Agriculture Practices

  • What Happens When a Neighborhood Is Built Around a Farm?

    Agrihoods and urban farms are innovative solutions to combat climate change by providing food security, reducing temperatures, capturing rainwater, and increasing biodiversity in communities. These green spaces can help mitigate flooding, provide nutritious produce, and cool neighborhoods, ultimately improving food security and sustainability. Successful implementation of agrihoods requires careful planning, including water logistics, crop selection, and adequate funding and staffing. By scaling up urban agriculture and implementing agrihoods, cities can become more resilient in the face of climate change.

    https://reasonstobecheerful.world/agrihoods-neighborhoods-built-around-farms/

  • Agrivoltaics? Yes in my vineyard

    Researchers in Spain conducted a study in the Murcia region, surveying 238 wine tourists and finding broad support for trellis-integrated agrivoltaics in vineyards, with 94% backing solar integration. The study focused on vineyards in a region where viticulture is significant, with questions about the importance of photovoltaic energy, preferred system configurations, and perceptions of landscape integration. Overall, the research found a positive social perception of agrivoltaic systems, particularly in vineyard settings, confirming high acceptance of this dual-use land model among the surveyed population. The results were presented in a study published in Renewable Energy Focus, with involvement from academics at Technical University of Cartagena and Miguel Hernández University of Elche.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/02/12/agrivoltaics-yes-in-my-vineyard/

  • Environmental News Network – Farming for the Future

    The University of Leeds and McCain Foods are partnering to establish the McCain Farm of the Future UK on the University's farm in Yorkshire, with the goal of reducing the environmental impacts of farming and increasing food security. This collaboration aims to accelerate innovation in British agriculture to tackle challenges like unpredictable weather, declining soil health, and policy uncertainty. By working together, the project seeks to develop sustainable solutions that address these pressing issues and pave the way for a more resilient and environmentally friendly agricultural sector.

    https://www.enn.com/articles/77794-farming-for-the-future

  • Indigenous forest fire brigades shortlisted for global climate award

    CARE, an Asháninka Indigenous organization in the Amazon, has been nominated for the 2026 Ashden Award for their Indigenous-led Integrated Fire Management strategy, PAAMARI. The project successfully combines Indigenous wisdom with satellite technology to prevent and reduce wildfires in the region, with no wildfires recorded in 2025. The project focuses on training community members as fire brigade members, using high-tech monitoring, and teaching safe burning practices. Winning the Ashden Award would allow for the expansion of this work, providing essential safety gear to volunteer Indigenous community fire brigade members. Indigenous Peoples are effective stewards of the rainforest and with the right tools and respect for traditional knowledge, they can protect this important ecosystem from the impacts of the climate crisis.

    https://www.coolearth.org/news/indigenous-forest-fire-brigades-shortlisted-for-global-climate-award/

  • Could Light Be Used To Drive Enzymes for Efficient Ammonia Production?

    Researchers are exploring the use of nanocrystal-nitrogenase biohybrids to reduce energy costs in ammonia production by harnessing light to convert N2 gas to ammonia. By studying electron delivery efficiency and hole scavenging in the CdS:MoFe complex, they aim to optimize the process and potentially lower energy costs. This innovative technology could lead to localized production near agricultural sites, reducing transportation costs and offering applications in fuel, feedstock, and energy storage. The research, highlighted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences program, provides valuable insights into biological nitrogen fixation and electron transfer pathways, with implications for sustainable climate solutions.

    https://cleantechnica.com/2026/02/06/could-light-be-used-to-drive-enzymes-for-efficient-ammonia-production/

  • A Coal Town Reborn

    The town of Loos-en-Gohelle in France has successfully transitioned from a coal mining economy to a sustainable one, with solar panels powering 90% of public energy needs by 2021. The town embraced its mining heritage and involved locals in the transformation process, leading to a diverse range of projects in clean energy, agriculture, biodiversity protection, and more. Citizen participation was key in this transition, which took decades and involved breaking away from the control of mining companies. The success of Loos-en-Gohelle has inspired others to replicate its citizen-powered transition model, with the founding of La Fabrique des Transitions to spread its methods nationwide, potentially impacting France's climate transition efforts.

    https://reasonstobecheerful.world/france-coal-town-reborn-loos-en-gohelle/

  • Welcome to the ‘agrihood’ – the neighbourhood of the future?

    Marcia Mikai and her colleagues are promoting the concept of agrihoods as a solution to unsustainable urban sprawl, aiming to restore ecosystems, build climate resilience, and develop healthy communities through sustainable forestry practices and mixed-use buildings. By replanting native and edible plants, agrihoods help cool cities, reduce flood risk, and replenish aquifers, while also providing shared green spaces that reconnect residents with their food and community. These zones actively sequester carbon from the atmosphere and offer environmental and social benefits for people of all ages and income levels. The UN Environment Programme's State of Finance for Nature report emphasizes the need to shift towards nature-positive solutions to prevent economic downfall, highlighting the potential benefits of incorporating nature-based solutions in cities like New York to increase productivity and create a thriving economy.

    https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1166880

  • A just agricultural transition takes root in Brazil

    Agroforestry is seen as a rare climate solution that can support farmers and the environment, offering a way to decarbonize agriculture without harming rural communities. Belterra, a Brazilian agroforestry enterprise, supports farmers like Zé Maria, proving that profitable and ecologically sustainable family farms are possible in the Amazon. The article emphasizes the potential of agroforestry as a solution, which can restore soil health, conserve water, support biodiversity, and sequester carbon. Large companies like Cargill and Amazon are partnering with Belterra to integrate agroforestry into their supply chains and climate strategies, highlighting the scalability and catalytic nature of these partnerships. It is crucial that agroforestry strengthens the rights and incomes of those on the ground to be part of a just transition towards a more sustainable future.

    https://www.climatechangenews.com/2026/01/30/a-just-agricultural-transition-takes-root-in-brazil/

  • Nigerian Businesses, RMI, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet Collaborate to Empower Women and Youth Through Renewable Technology

    The Energising Women & Youth in Agri-Food Systems Programme (EWAS) in Nigeria, a collaboration between local businesses, RMI, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, aims to empower women and youth through solar-powered technology in the agricultural sector. By providing affordable finance, training, and commercial opportunities, the program seeks to increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve incomes for smallholder farmers. With women and youth making up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce and many communities lacking access to reliable power, solar-powered productive use of energy (PUE) technologies offer a pathway to inclusive growth and economic development. The initiative builds on the success of the Energizing Agriculture Programme (EAP) and will support projects led by Nigerian enterprises deploying PUE solutions in rural and peri-urban communities. A total of 300 solar-powered refrigeration units with lithium-ion batteries are being integrated in Nigeria to help women and youth preserve perishable goods and stabilize income, while also democratizing access to solar energy and improving product quality and market competitiveness for women agriculture entrepreneurs. The EWAS project, part of a broader three-year program led by the Global Energy Alliance and the Mastercard Foundation, aims to create dignified jobs, improve livelihoods, and reduce emissions in Nigeria's agriculture sector, ultimately working towards providing affordable, reliable, clean electricity to improve lives and accelerate green economic opportunities. Through partnerships and community engagement, the initiative aims to reach 1 billion people with clean electricity, prevent 4 billion tons of carbon emissions, and create or improve 150 million jobs, contributing to sustainable development and climate solutions in Nigeria.

    https://rmi.org/press-release/ewas-initiative-to-empower-women-and-youth-through-renewable-technology/

  • ‘Agrivoltaics is not just a land-sharing concept, but a systems-level solution to some of the world’s most pressing challenges’

    Researchers have conducted a multidimensional study on agrivoltaics, finding that it could add over 1,800 million tonnes to global crop yields annually and generate over $1 trillion in added global agricultural income. The study looked at the impact of agrivoltaics on sustainability, soil-crop productivity, socioeconomic resilience, solar power generation, spatial efficiency, and species. Agrivoltaics was seen as a systems-level solution to food insecurity, climate stress, land-use conflicts, and economic vulnerability. The study found that agrivoltaics could potentially increase global crop production by 1.8 billion tonnes annually, providing enough calories to feed over 2.1 billion people per year. This innovative approach combines solar energy production with agricultural practices, offering potential solutions for sustainable land use and renewable energy generation, highlighting the importance of exploring new methods like agrivoltaics to address climate change challenges and promote environmental sustainability.

    https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/01/22/agrivoltaics-is-not-just-a-land-sharing-concept-but-as-a-systems-level-solution-to-some-of-the-worlds-most-pressing-challenges/