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Slash-and-burn agriculture is most likely to contribute to global climate change.

Slash-and-burn agriculture involves clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation, which releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This practice not only contributes to greenhouse gas emissions but also leads to deforestation and loss of biodiversity, exacerbating climate change.

A) Terracing

Terracing is a sustainable agricultural practice that involves creating stepped levels on sloped land to reduce soil erosion and manage water effectively. While it may have some impact on the environment, it is not inherently linked to significant greenhouse gas emissions or deforestation, making it less likely to contribute to global climate change compared to slash-and-burn methods.

B) Slash-and-burn

Slash-and-burn agriculture is directly linked to climate change as it releases large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when vegetation is burned. Additionally, it often leads to deforestation, which further decreases the planet's capacity to absorb carbon, solidifying its role as a major contributor to global climate change.

C) Shifting cultivation

Shifting cultivation, while involving land clearing, typically allows for periods of fallow where the land can regenerate. Although it can have environmental impacts, it is generally less harmful than slash-and-burn agriculture in terms of emissions and deforestation, and thus is not as significant a contributor to climate change.

D) Pastoral nomadism

Pastoral nomadism involves the herding of livestock and is generally sustainable as it relies on moving animals to different grazing areas. This practice can have localized environmental impacts, but it does not contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions or deforestation, making it less likely to affect global climate change compared to slash-and-burn agriculture.

Conclusion

In summary, slash-and-burn agriculture is the most detrimental form of agriculture regarding its contributions to global climate change due to its high emissions and deforestation effects. Other options, while they may have environmental impacts, do not engage in the same level of carbon release or habitat destruction, highlighting why they are less likely to contribute to climate change.