As the global population grows and the climate warms, the agricultural world faces a grim future. The use of select genetically modified (GM) crops should be welcomed as a measure against land-use change (deforestation), agricultural emissions, and global food insecurity. The movement against GM crops is largely founded in the ideas of uncertainty for long-term safety, and the conducive use of harmful pesticides and herbicides. This opinion tends to be rooted in oversimplification and disinformation, grouping all GM crops into one category. Additionally, economic incentives are difficult to produce for the development of such crops; lack of intellectual property security and limited markets from regulations are leading factors hindering the expansion of GM crops. As an example, the European Union has not yet widely adopted GM crops, and thus has to import much of its food supply. 30 million tons of soybeans are imported each year; the majority of which coming from Brazil, in which forests are being destroyed to create more farmland.
Unlike herbicide and pesticide-tolerant crops, GM crops designed to resist abiotic (environmental) factors such as moisture content and temperature variability have very few downsides. The widespread political adoption would increase the economic potential and thus increase their use. This would stimulate all economic levels as farmers find higher yields, and areas such as Europe begin importing less, and exporting more. This, in turn, would also significantly reduce the amount of land-use change, in addition to providing difficult-to-grow climates with more agricultural independence.
Global food insecurity is accelerating due to climate change. The full integration of GM crops (specialized to resist abiotic stress) will reduce emissions by slowing land-use change, provide more food to the world population, and grow the economies of fertile lands. This can be achieved socially by more clearly defining the risks and rewards of GM crops to the public, which in turn will influence the political realm.