Knowledge Tree
land-use change
Also known as: global land-use change, land use changes, LUC, global land use change, land-use changes
Facts (31)
Sources
The potential land requirements and related land use change ... nature.com Feb 3, 2021 14 facts
claimThe expansion of bioenergy has been identified as a major driver of recent land use change in developed regions.
claimSolar expansion scenarios until 2050 will most likely lead to net land use change (LUC) emissions, although India can achieve net carbon sequestration if solar park land is managed as pastures.
measurementWhen using efficient monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon photovoltaic technologies, land use change (LUC) emissions are comparable to 10 to 50% of the current non-land life cycle emissions for those technologies.
accountThe authors of the study integrated solar energy land requirements into an Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) to estimate the land cover impacts and related land use change (LUC) emissions of solar energy within climate change mitigation scenarios up to 2050.
claimOnly a limited portion of the land requirements and related land use change (LUC) emissions driven by bioenergy expansion are projected to occur within the EU, India, Japan, and South-Korea due to the tradeability of bioenergy.
claimThe study assumes that solar energy in urban areas, deserts, and dry scrublands, as well as bioenergy derived from waste or agricultural and forestry residue, do not contribute to land use change (LUC) emissions or carbon sequestration.
claimIf solar land is seeded with herbs and managed as pasture, net land use change (LUC) emissions drop by more than 50% in most cases.
measurementSolar energy expansion in India involves less land cover change per unit of output compared to other regions, with estimated land use change (LUC) emissions below 12 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for all scenarios.
claimThe higher land requirements for bioenergy more than offset the lower land use change (LUC) emissions per square meter found in most cases when compared to solar energy.
measurementIn Japan and South Korea, land use change (LUC) emissions related to the expansion of solar energy are 11 to 35 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
measurementWhen using less space-efficient but more resource-efficient thin-film Cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic technologies, land use change (LUC) emissions are estimated to be in the range of 50 to 150% of the non-land life cycle emissions.
claimConverting arable land to solar parks managed as pastures can result in net carbon sequestration in vegetation and soil, which offsets Land Use Change (LUC) emissions caused by land competition.
claimSolar energy expansion leads to Land Use Change (LUC) emissions through indirect land competition, vegetation loss from deforestation or avoided afforestation, and carbon release from soil and vegetation directly beneath solar panels.
claimThe application of herbicides to clear vegetation in solar parks amplifies Land Use Change (LUC) emissions associated with solar energy expansion.
Implications of the Western Diet for Agricultural Production, Health ... frontiersin.org 4 facts
claimProcessed food production generates high greenhouse gas emissions, accelerates land-use change to support agriculture and intensive livestock activities, and requires large amounts of water and agrochemicals.
claimCurrent dietary patterns cause an acceleration of greenhouse gas emissions, increased prevalence of obesity and diabetes, and an expansion of land-use change to satisfy the demand for highly processed food products and sugary drinks.
claimRuminant production for meat consumption has increased significantly over the past 50 years, contributing to increased CO2 and CH4 emissions and land-use change.
claimGlobal land-use change has reduced natural areas to expand agricultural land.
ESS Subtopic 6.2: Climate change – Causes and Impacts mrgscience.com 4 facts
claimSatellite data tracks land-use changes such as deforestation and urban expansion, demonstrating their impact on climate and ecosystems.
claimClimate change and land-use change are studied using data collected over time by weather stations, observatories, radar, and satellites.
claimGlobal climate models (GCMs) predict future climate outcomes by processing inputs such as solar radiation, greenhouse gas concentrations, and land-use changes, while representing interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
claimUncertainty in climate models arises from four primary factors: variability in future emissions and land-use changes (inputs), potential inaccuracies in indirect measurements (proxy data), the difficulty of predicting natural events like volcanic eruptions or solar activity (natural variability), and the complexity of modeling processes like ice-albedo or permafrost thawing (feedback loops).
Scientific consensus on climate change - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org 3 facts
measurementFrom 1750 to 2011, CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production released 375 [345 to 405] GtC to the atmosphere, while deforestation and other land-use change released an estimated 180 [100 to 260] GtC.
claimHuman activities causing global warming include fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and land use changes such as deforestation, with a significant supporting role from other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide.
claimThe warming of the Earth is mainly the result of a rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) caused by human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and land use changes such as deforestation.
The interplay of future solar energy, land cover change, and their ... discovery.researcher.life Jun 9, 2024 2 facts
referenceA study of the Kalu river basin in Sri Lanka analyzed peak water levels, flood events, and land use changes in the Rathnapura (upper basin) and Kalutara (lower basin) districts between 2001 and 2020.
claimClimate change and Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes are interrelated, as land use change may drive climate change, and a changing climate may result in land cover changes.
Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Shabelle Zone, Eastern ... link.springer.com Feb 5, 2026 1 fact
claimTraditional knowledge regarding wild edible plants (WEPs) is declining due to land-use change, urbanization, industrial expansion, and rural outmigration.
Balancing land use for conservation, agriculture, and renewable ... nature.com Mar 7, 2026 1 fact
referenceTrainor, McDonald, and Fargione (2016) identified energy sprawl as the largest driver of land-use change in the United States.
Measurement of diets that are healthy, environmentally sustainable ... frontiersin.org 1 fact
claimThe most common environment-related metrics used in food system modeling include greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water extraction, land use changes that release carbon to the atmosphere, and loss of biodiversity.
Practitioners' perceived risks to biodiversity from renewable energy ... nature.com Feb 27, 2025 1 fact
referenceThe paper 'Global land use change, economic globalization, and the looming land scarcity' by E.F. Lambin and P. Meyfroidt (2011) discusses the relationship between global land use change, economic globalization, and land scarcity.