Dr. Peña-Lévano Presents Research at EAAE & EcoMod 2025
October 14, 2025 | Davis, CA
By Jose Briceño, Bilingual Communication Specialist
Dr. Luis Peña-Lévano recently presented two research posters at the XVIII Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists (EAAE), held in Bonn, Germany, on August 26-29, 2025. This event brought together more than 1,200 experts from around the world to discuss the most recent studies on agricultural economics and food systems.
The first poster, “Carbon Farming by Restoring Peatlands in Northern Germany”, co-authored with PhD Research Fellow Karl-Friedrich Boy, looked at how restoring wetlands called peatlands can mitigate climate change. The study tested what would happen if farmers were paid for reducing emissions through a carbon market. Results showed that if carbon prices
reach $150–200 per ton, farmers would set aside more land for peatland restoration, cutting emissions by up to 3,200 tons of CO₂. This approach could assist Germany in achieving its climate goals, but further research is necessary to understand the impact on food production.
The second poster, “Land-use Emission Leakages from China’s Dietary and Afforestation Policies,” a study led by Weitong Long from Wageningen Research & University, explored what happens when China tries to cut emissions by promoting healthier diets and planting more trees. While these actions reduce emissions in China, they can cause emission leakages–meaning other countries may need to produce more food to meet the market’s needs.
This can lead to more greenhouse gases, higher food prices, and even more people at risk of hunger worldwide. The study found that without global cooperation, these policies could put 145 million more people at risk of hunger and cause $74 billion in extra economic losses.
In addition to EAAE, Dr. Peña-Lévano also participated in the International Conference on Economic Modeling and Data Science (EcoMod2025), held in Stuttgart, Germany, on September 3–5, 2025. There, he presented the peatland restoration research as a full paper presentation. His talk, titled “Economic and Environmental Tradeoff of Carbon Sequestration,”
highlighted the role of carbon pricing in incentivizing sustainable land use and reducing emissions in agriculture.
Beyond presenting his work, Dr. Peña-Lévano engaged with colleagues and new collaborators from across Europe, strengthening partnerships and expanding the Louis Lab’s international network.
Acknowledgements
Dr. Peña-Lévano expresses gratitude to the Agricultural Economics Society (AES) for its support through the Travel Award, which made this participation possible.