Study suggests organic farming needs direction to be sustainable

[cprise]

9. Its based on biodynamic validation of some traditional and new methods

The Soil Association offers a short definition or organic here: http://www.soilassociation.org/whatisorganic/organicfarming

And a history here: http://www.soilassociation.org/Aboutus/Ourhistory

There is a lot to talk about in those two links. The first one has a boast that organic can reduce CO2 emissions -- This is actually correct according to the OP, which has an abstract stating that one kind of organic does reduce emissions, while the USDA type does not. Back in 2009 the Soil Association issued a summary with independent support

The history page states:

For the first thirty years the Association was based on a farm in Suffolk and was primarily involved in basic research as well as building a membership base. The farm was divided into three units, one farmed using the new intensive techniques, one farmed traditionally and one with mixed system. At the end of this period the results were not as clear as had been hoped (hardly surprising since we still have a poor understanding of what we truly mean by health of land and food), however a much clearer understanding had been built up of how the best of old and new traditions in land husbandry could be combined, and so the first organic standards were compiled defining this system.

In 1967, the first Soil Association standards were drawn up. Ultimately they stated that the basis for the success of any organic enterprise is the creation and sustenance of a living soil. "The use of, or abstinence from, any particular practice should be judged by its effect on the well-being of the micro-organic life of the soil, on which the health of the consumer ultimately depends."

About the 'father of organic agriculture':https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Howard

So organic grew out of land husbandry, and a scientific concern for the health of the soil and the surrounding countryside. And its a response to intensive postwar agriculture.

On wildlife:

In developing countries there can be pressure to convert valuable ecosystems such as rainforest to farmland. But our standards state that any high conservation value land mustn't be converted to organic farmland, but left intact. This helps to protect the rich biodiversity that is found in these rare and diverse ecosystems.

These should answer most of your questions. However, I don't know whether USDA or any other government organic program goes this far about conserving wildlife. My own reading of USDA's adoption of organic was that the word "organic" on packaging was in danger of being used for any sort of production; So they took the stance that "all natural" would remain unenforced and meaningless, while "organic" would have to be backed up by at least some of the defining features of the organic movement. If a different term that could be trademarked and controlled independently of government had be used, the conversation about organic might be different today.