In 2016, the Paris global climate agreement came into force with the goal of limiting the rise in average global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Germany has laid down the further reduction steps to achieve near-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its Climate Protection Plan 2050. While other sectors can at best reduce their emissions to zero, the land use, land use change and forestry sector has the potential, via forests and intact peatlands, to sequester large amounts of carbon and act as carbon sinks.

Agriculture must also do its part to save greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, there is potential in the area of land use for the protection of organic soils, the cultivation of biomass for energy production, and the protection of extensive grassland.