A new study published in Science, led by researchers at UC Santa Barbara and the University of Minnesota, finds that most countries can significantly improve both environmental and economic outcomes through better land use and management. The analysis covers 146 countries and measures the gap between current land use and an optimal efficiency frontier. On average, countries could nearly double their carbon storage and biodiversity or their economic returns from crops, livestock, and timber without sacrificing the other. The research shows that optimizing land allocation and crop intensification could increase climate mitigation by the equivalent of over 200 billion metric tons of CO2 and raise net economic value by more than $350 billion. The authors emphasize that these gains do not require sacrificing one goal for the other, challenging the common assumption that economic development and environmental protection are in conflict. The team is now working with partners including the World Bank to apply the findings to specific country policy questions. The study also highlights opportunities for strategic land restoration and more efficient agriculture, especially in lower income countries where current yields are low.
