A study by the University of Bonn projected that if the European Union
(EU) were to allow the adoption of already existing genetically modified
(GM) crops, it could result in a reduction equivalent to 7.5% of the
total agriculturalgreenhouse gas emissionsof Europe.

The researchers highlighted that yield increases by GM crops that can
help in clinate changemitigation have not been previously quantified in
previous studies. They argue that the yield increase helps prevent
additional CO_2 emissions by reducing the need to convert new lands to
agricultural land. They decided to focus on the EU for this projection
study because the region has not widely acceptedGM cropsand is currently
undergoing reassessment of its regulatory policies.

The results of their study predicted that growing GM crops in the EU
could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33 million tons of CO_2
equivalents per year. This is the equivalent of 7.5% of the total
agricultural greenhouse gas emissions of the EU in 2017. Likewise, they
found that GM crop adoption would lead to higher EU exports, lower
imports, and can help decrease the land-use changes in their
import-country partners. The researchers cited cornandsoybeansas
examples. Europe currently imports corn and soybeans from Brazil, among
other countries. To keep up with the soybean demand, parts of the
Brazilian Amazon are converted to agricultural land. The adoption of GM
soybeans by the EU can help alleviate the tropical deforestation in that
part of the Amazon. Thus, the adoption of GM crops not only reduces
greenhouse gas emissions but can help preserve biodiversity as well.

Genetically modified crops support climate change mitigation: Trends in
Plant Science (cell.com)
[www.cell.com]