The CSRD conducted a conference on carbon sequestration and climate change at International House on the campus of UC Berkeley on Friday, March 3, 2000.  The purpose of this conference was to educate California agriculture about how these issues may affect agricultural practices and policy.  Speakers included members of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) and faculty from the University of California and Ernest O. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.  Speakers elaborated on the interaction between agricultural and ecosystem management practices and climate change.  Some of the agricultural practices examined were no-till versus conventional till, fertilizer application efficiency, water use efficiency, crop rotation, crop species distribution and selection, integrated pest management, forestry, and biotechnology.

In addition, potential carbon sequestration initiatives were presented.   Policy perspectives were presented in the context of the Kyoto Protocol and potential scenarios for policy implementation.  Speakers provided a critique of economic and social issues that may impact successful policy implementation.  Overall, the speakers provided a comprehensive picture of the complexities of the climate change issue, and how those complexities may be addressed within the natural and social sciences.

Conference program

A transcript for the conference is being prepared.  Portions of the transcript will be posted here on the website, and the entire transcript will be available in printed form at a later date.