IN-DEPTH: Questions About Genetically Modified Crops as Agriculture’s ‘Silver Bullet’ Solution to Climate Change

The argument for using genetically modified crops to fight climate change unravels amid contradictory evidence from people working with organic food and plants.

A farmer plants corn in the Marvin Chapel field in Mount Airy, Md., on May 19, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

As government officials continue pressuring the world’s farmers to modify their methods to accommodate climate change concerns, businesses and academics are pushing genetically modified crops as an agricultural solution to climate change.

Since 2019, there’s been a palpable shift in the language surrounding genetically modified (GM) crops. Academic periodicals, research studies, and companies investing in the crops claim that they are more environmentally friendly than their organic counterparts.