First and foremost, the greenhouse effect is a completely natural process that influences the Earth’s temperature. The Sun emits short-wave radiation toward the Earth, some of which is reflected back into space. The portion of short-wave radiation that is not reflected is absorbed by the Earth’s surface and converted into long-wave thermal radiation. This causes the Earth’s surface and bodies of water to warm up. 

As the thermal radiation rises, it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere consists of various gases, including greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Since these gases have the property of absorbing long-wave thermal radiation and then re-emitting it, the thermal radiation is now trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Instead of escaping into space, it is reflected back, thereby warming the Earth’s temperature.  

Without the warming caused by the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average temperature would be a life-threatening -18 °C. With the greenhouse effect, however, the average temperature is about 15 °C. We cannot, therefore, live without the greenhouse effect. 

However, the global average temperature has risen by 1.04 °C over the past 130 years, which—due to various natural disasters and the negative impact on ecosystems—is becoming an ever-greater threat to human survival as well.  

With industrialization came the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. As a result, greenhouse gases accumulated in the atmosphere at an ever-increasing rate. The effect of the natural greenhouse effect was thus greatly amplified—and temperatures rose. Since the resulting climate change is caused by humans, this is referred to as the anthropogenic greenhouse effect. 

Anthropogenic greenhouse gases differ in their atmospheric lifetime and their impact on the climate. The most common greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).  

Carbon dioxide, the most commonly emitted anthropogenic greenhouse gas, is primarily released through the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. CO2 has a very long atmospheric lifetime. Even after a millennium, a significant 15 to 40 percent of the gas may still remain. 

In contrast, methane breaks down in the atmosphere within just 12.4 years. Despite this comparatively short residence time, methane is about 25 times as potent as CO2 and thus contributes significantly to the anthropogenic greenhouse effect.  

Nitrous oxide is even 298 times more potent than CO2. This gas therefore also plays a significant role in the greenhouse effect, even though it can “only” persist in the atmosphere for about 121 years. 

Greenhouse gases are emitted by various sectors. Transportation, industry, and the energy sector, in particular, contribute significantly to these emissions. However, agriculture also plays a crucial role and ranks second globally in terms of CO2 emissions, behind only the energy sector. 

If we consider only Germany’s CO2 emissions, agriculture ranks lower on the list. For example, waste and transportation are responsible for even higher CO2 emissions here. Nevertheless, in 2021, agriculture in Germany accounted for about 7.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions. 

Furthermore, when considering emissions caused by agriculture, CO2 does not play the decisive role; rather, it is methane and nitrous oxide. 

In agriculture, methane is emitted, among other things, through the use of manure. However, the main source of methane emissions is livestock farming. This climate-damaging greenhouse gas is produced during the digestive process of ruminants. 

Nitrous oxide is also released into the atmosphere through livestock farming. In 2022, approximately 69.5% of agricultural emissions were attributable to livestock farming alone. In addition, the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is primarily responsible for anthropogenic nitrous oxide emissions. 

Global greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting consequences of climate change represent one of the greatest challenges of our time. A particularly problematic aspect of this global crisis lies in the unequal distribution of greenhouse gas emissions and their resulting consequences: 

In 2021, global CO2 emissions totaled 38 billion metric tons, with the G20 countries—particularly China, the U.S., and the EU—accounting for approximately 81% of those emissions. This highlights the significant role that the industrialized countries of the Global North play in causing climate change. 

However, the countries most at risk from the effects of climate change are largely those in the Global South. Many of these regions face a high risk of major natural disasters: Rising sea levels, for example, pose a particular threat to island nations such as Indonesia. The monsoon, which is becoming increasingly erratic due to climate change, could also increasingly threaten large parts of Southeast Asia with periods of heavy rain and drought. In Somalia, droughts threaten food security. There are numerous examples of the consequences of climate change in the Global South. 

People who depend directly on agriculture for their livelihoods are particularly vulnerable. Although the agricultural sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, it is also particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Changes in temperature and precipitation can destroy crops and thus threaten the livelihoods of farmers. This hits subsistence farmers particularly hard. 

Climate change contributes to exacerbating global injustices and threatens the livelihoods of people who are already economically disadvantaged. Meanwhile, the countries responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions experience comparatively minor effects from climate change. 

However, agriculture can also play a key role on the path to climate justice. For example, through permanent crops and the protection of peatlands, it can sequester CO2 and thus counteract the anthropogenic greenhouse effect. 

Increased cultivation of legumes as a protein-rich alternative to meat products could also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by livestock farming. 

In addition, agriculture contributes to job creation in rural areas. With adequate support for small-scale farmers and the promotion of sustainable practices, the agricultural sector can help reduce social inequalities and ensure food security. 

At the global level, this can also lead to more equitable distribution patterns. Local resource use enables sustainable self-sufficiency and reduces dependence on external markets. In this way, agriculture can help reduce global disparities.