AGG 3501: Environment, Food and Society
University of Florida (UF)
Study guide, definitions and notes.
Introduction
The interplay between the environment, food, and society is a complex web of interactions that
are critical for the sustainability of our planet. Here’s an overview touching upon the key aspects
of this intricate relationship:
Environment, Food, and Society
The production and consumption of food have profound impacts on the environment, which in
turn affects society. Agriculture occupies about half of the world’s habitable land¹. The
environmental impacts of food production include significant water usage, contributing to water
stress, and the release of greenhouse gases, accounting for around one-quarter of global
emissions¹. This necessitates a shift towards sustainable food systems that minimize
environmental damage while ensuring food security.
Food production has a large environmental impact in several ways
What are the environmental impacts of food and agriculture?
The visualization here shows a summary of some of the main global impacts:
1. Food production accounts for over a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas
emissions.1
2. Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture. Habitable land is land
that is ice- and desert-free.
3. 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture 2.
4. 78% of global ocean and freshwater eutrophication is caused by
agriculture.3 Eutrophication is the pollution of waterways with nutrient-rich
water.
5. 94% of non-human mammal biomass is livestock. This means livestock
outweigh wild mammals by a factor of 15-to-1.4 This share is 97% when only
land-based mammals are included.
University of Florida (UF)
Study guide, definitions and notes.
Introduction
The interplay between the environment, food, and society is a complex web of interactions that
are critical for the sustainability of our planet. Here’s an overview touching upon the key aspects
of this intricate relationship:
Environment, Food, and Society
The production and consumption of food have profound impacts on the environment, which in
turn affects society. Agriculture occupies about half of the world’s habitable land¹. The
environmental impacts of food production include significant water usage, contributing to water
stress, and the release of greenhouse gases, accounting for around one-quarter of global
emissions¹. This necessitates a shift towards sustainable food systems that minimize
environmental damage while ensuring food security.
Food production has a large environmental impact in several ways
What are the environmental impacts of food and agriculture?
The visualization here shows a summary of some of the main global impacts:
1. Food production accounts for over a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas
emissions.1
2. Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture. Habitable land is land
that is ice- and desert-free.
3. 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture 2.
4. 78% of global ocean and freshwater eutrophication is caused by
agriculture.3 Eutrophication is the pollution of waterways with nutrient-rich
water.
5. 94% of non-human mammal biomass is livestock. This means livestock
outweigh wild mammals by a factor of 15-to-1.4 This share is 97% when only
land-based mammals are included.
