A study from Colorado State University (CSU) suggests that the environmental benefits of agricultural irrigation in the United States are much greater than its emissions costs. The research shows that irrigation helps prevent significant greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need to convert natural ecosystems into farmland. If irrigation were to stop, the land-use changes required to maintain crop yields would result in far more emissions—363 times greater than those generated by irrigation itself. This equates to saving emissions equivalent to 363 years of U.S. annual greenhouse gas emissions from irrigation. Land conversion for agriculture—such as clearing forests or grasslands to grow food—releases carbon stored in soil and vegetation. This process contributes nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a major area for climate action. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the need to consider both direct and indirect emissions when developing climate-friendly agricultural policies. Irrigation-related emissions mainly come from the energy used to pump water, which can be reduced by switching from fossil fuel-powered pumps to electric ones. Researchers suggest that electrifying irrigation systems could be a straightforward way to cut emissions. They recommend that policymakers consider incentives for such changes when designing climate-smart agriculture programs. According to lead author Avery Driscoll, the avoided emissions from irrigation amount to 6.86 gigatons—more than the total annual emissions of the U.S. in 2024 (5.91 gigatons), or about 13% of global emissions that year. To calculate the emissions and land-use impacts, researchers used a combination of county-level yield data, machine learning, and global economic models. They simulated how U.S. crop production would change without irrigation and mapped the resulting land-use changes and carbon emissions. The study did not examine other agricultural practices that can produce emissions, such as the use of nitrogen fertilizers or methane from livestock. In the western U.S., where irrigation is essential for food production, farmers like Alex Brown, a CSU alumnus from Yuma County, Colorado, rely on irrigation to maintain productivity. Brown noted that without irrigation, farmers would have to convert less productive land into cropland, which could harm the environment. As the population grows, he said, the pressure to produce more food on less land will increase, making efficient irrigation even more critical. His family has been using modern technologies to improve irrigation efficiency over the past 120 years. Driscoll emphasized that irrigation is a key adaptation strategy, helping crops withstand heat and drought while boosting productivity. He added that balancing the need to increase food production with reducing emissions is a top priority for the future of agriculture.