Archive:Agri-environmental indicator - greenhouse gas emissions

Data from October 2012. Most recent data: Further information, Main tables and Database.

This article provides a fact sheet of the European Union (EU) agri-environmental indicator Greenhouse gas emissions. It consists of an overview of recent data, complemented by all information on definitions, definitions, measurement methods and context needed to interpret them correctly. The cropping patterns article is part of a set of set of similar fact sheets providing a complete picture of the state of the agri-environmental indicators in the EU.

The agri-environmental indicator Greenhouse gas emissions measures the aggregated annual emissions from agriculture of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (N₂O). Emissions are shown relative to data for the year 1990 and are expressed as CO₂ equivalents.

Main Indicator: GHG emissions from agriculture (ktonnes CO₂ equivalents per year)
Supporting Indicator: Share of agriculture in GHG emissions

Main statistical findings

Key messages

The agriculture sector produced 461 567 ktonnes CO₂ equivalent of greenhouse gases in 2010, around 10 % of the total EU emissions (excluding LULUCF (Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry) net removals) for that year. Emissions from the agricultural sector have declined by 22 % since 1990.
The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions has been mainly due to a 23 % reduction in nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils due to a decrease in the use of nitrogenous fertilisers, and a 22 % decrease in methane enteric fermentation emissions caused by a reduction in livestock numbers.

Assessment

Sustainable development and the integration of environmental considerations into European Commission policy instruments are long-term objectives for the EU, as expressed for example in the 6th Environmental Action Programme and the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the need to consider the concepts of sustainable development with respect to agricultural processes, a number of which can have a damaging effect on the environment. Globally, the ultimate objective of this Convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.
The ‘greenhouse effect’ is the term commonly used to describe the natural process through which atmosphere gases absorb and re-radiate infrared radiation from the earth’s surface, and which is largely responsible for life on earth. It is generally accepted that human activities, such as the combustion of fossil fuels, are altering the composition of gases in the atmosphere, which could cause heat that would normally be radiated out to be retained. The UNFCCC, through its Kyoto protocol, presently covers 6 main greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). However, emissions of all greenhouse gases are of concern because of their global warming potential.
Like any other economic sector the agriculture sector produces greenhouse gases and is a major source of the non-CO2 greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide. Both of these gases are many times more powerful greenhouse gases than CO2. In addition, agriculture can significantly affect GHG balances through emissions and removals of CO2 by soils and biomass and through the emissions of GHG precursors such as ammonia, and can further affect radiative forcing through the emission of dust and aerosols or by changing the surface albedo (reflectivity of the land surface). The annual agricultural emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide may be aggregated and weighted by their global warming potentials (GWP). The global warming potential (GWP) of a greenhouse gas is defined as the ratio of the time-integrated radiative forcing from the instantaneous release of 1 kg of a substance relative to that of 1 kg of a reference gas (in this instance, carbon dioxide). GWP values used throughout this indicator factsheet are the 100-year GWPs recommended by the IPCC in the Second Assessment Report (IPCC 1995), which comply with current international reporting standards under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto protocol. Methane has a 100 year GWP of 21, meaning that methane is effectively 21 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than CO2 over this time period. Nitrous oxide has a GWP of 310 over a 100 year time span and is therefore 310 more powerful in terms of its global warming potential than CO2.
Since 1990, the main factors which have influenced EU emissions of greenhouse gases from the agriculture sector, aside from general underlying economic trends, have been regulatory instruments such as the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and implementation of the Nitrates Directive. These have both had the indirect effect of changing agricultural practices across the EU, and have, for example, led to a general reduced use of nitrogenous fertilisers and lower livestock numbers across the EU. In turn, such changes lead to specific environmental impacts occurring. In the case of the reduced livestock numbers, EU greenhouse gas emissions from e.g. cattle and sheep enteric fermentation have consequently been reduced.
This indicator has links to a number of other AEI indicators that describe developments in some of the main contributory factors that affect emissions of greenhouse gases from the agricultural sector. In particular, In particular, indicators 5 ‘Mineral fertiliser consumption’, No. 10 ‘Cropping/livestock patterns’, No.11 ‘Farm management practices’, No. 12 ‘Intensification and extensification’ and No. 15 ‘Gross nitrogen balance’ are of relevance, showing trends in such issues as fertiliser use, and changes to agricultural management and practice etc which are all underlying factors that can impact upon the level of greenhouse gases emitted from the agricultural sector. The indicator is also closely linked to AEI 18 ‘Ammonia emissions’.

Data sources and availability

Context

Further Eurostat information

Publications

Title of the publication

Main tables

Title of top Main tables folder, see:

Title(s) of second level folder (if any)

Title(s) of third level folder (if any)

Database

Title of top Database folder, see:

Title(s) of second level folder (if any)

Title(s) of third level folder (if any)

Other information

Regulation 1737/2005 (generating url [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32005R1737:EN:NOT Regulation 1737/2005]) of DD Month YYYY on ...
Directive 2003/86/EC (generating url [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003L0086:EN:NOT Directive 2003/86/EC]) of DD Month YYYY on ...
Commission Decision 2003/86/EC (generating url [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003D0086:EN:NOT Commission Decision 2003/86/EC]) of DD Month YYYY on ...

External links

Name of organisation/web site/deep link

Notes

[[Category:<Subtheme category name(s)>|Statistical article]] [[Category:<Statistical article>|Statistical article]]