Adjusting eco-efficiency to greenhouse gas emissions targets at farm level – The case of Swedish dairy farms

The decrease in the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industry and agriculture is one of the biggest challenges that European Union (EU) countries have to face. Their economic development should occur under the conditions of limiting the pressure on the environment. The agricultural and industrial sectors play a key role in ensuring food security, technological progress, job security, social well-being, economic competitiveness, and sustainable development. The main purpose of this article was to identify and compare the level, trends, and variability in greenhouse gas emissions from industry and agriculture in EU countries in 2010–2019, to create classes of countries with similar gas emissions, and to analyze the average values of their economic conditions. The original contribution to the article was to investigate whether there is a relationship between the level of greenhouse gas emissions and the economic development of countries and other economic indicators characterizing the sectors of industry and agriculture. Empirical data were obtained from the Eurostat and Ilostat databases. Basic descriptive statistics, classification methods, multiple regression, and correlation methods were used in the study. The industrial and agricultural sectors in EU countries emit similar amounts of greenhouse gases into the environment. In the years 2010–2019, the percentage share of emissions from these sectors in total gas emissions was growing dynamically, but no evidence was found indicating that those countries that emitted the most greenhouse gases significantly reduced their emissions in the decade under review. Moreover, EU countries are still significantly and invariably differentiated in this respect. Greenhouse gas emissions from industry and agriculture are influenced by the economic characteristics of these sectors, such as the level of GDP per capita, the scale of investment by enterprises, the expenditure on research and development, as well as employment in these sectors. The findings of this study show that total greenhouse gas emissions from all sources increase with countries’ economic growth, while a higher level of support of EU countries for research and development, and a greater share of employment in both industry and agriculture, translate into higher greenhouse gas emissions from these sectors. These conclusions may be useful for decision makers in developed and developing countries, as well as those in the industrial and agricultural sectors, in controlling and verifying the possible causes of greenhouse gas emissions in terms of the need to reduce their negative role on the environment and human health.

Variation in carbon footprint of milk due to management differences between Swedish dairy farms

A diachronic study of greenhouse gas emissions of French dairy farms according to adaptation pathways

Agricultural Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Ireland are projected to increase up to 21 Mt CO2eq by 2030 mainly driven by increased dairy cow numbers and increased nitrogen fertiliser use. In response to the growing public awareness of the GHG emissions' environmental impact, the Irish government published the Climate Action Plan in 2019, which identifies the agricultural sector's leading role in reducing GHG emission and increasing carbon removals to achieve the national GHG emission targets by 2030. Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACCs) on Irish GHG emissions have projected the total technically feasible mitigation potential for the Irish agriculture, forestry and land use (AFOLU) sector to be sufficient enough to achieve the set targets by 2030. Although these mitigation measures are available and when implemented, would mostly lead to a win-win situation, the voluntary adaptation rate by farmers is low. This study addresses the most significant determinants of voluntary adoption of mitigation measures by systematically examining existing literature on how and to what extent non-price determinants affectthe voluntary adoption rate of technically feasible mitigation measures in the Irish afolu sector. The main identified nonprice determining factors were the degree of farmers' awareness regarding man-made GHG emissions, receiving agrienvironmental advice, implementation costs, profitability and size of farms, land quality and the type of farm enterprise. Integrating the gained results in the former macc analysis enabled us to adopt the implementation rates of the cost-efficient afolu mitigation measures accordingly. The non-price determinants impact the voluntary uptake rate of AFOLU mitigation measures to the extent that the adjusted total Irish AFOLU abatement potential is 47% lower than technically feasible. Considering that 51.6% of the total estimated AFOLU abatement potential in 2030 is offset through Irish forestry, which at current afforestation rate will turn into a net carbon source by 2035, a significant gap occurs to any potential Irish and EU GHG reduction targets. To substantially help bring the nexus between agricultural development and GHG emission targets in Ireland closer together, policy measures, that differentiate between the different type of AFOLU mitigation measures, need to be implemented to enhance the uptake rate of cost-beneficial and cost-effective measures. This would have the potential to reduce the level of agricultural GHG emissions by 2030 in a way that it would converge towards possible EU and Irish GHG emission reduction targets.

With more than half the world's population now living in urban areas and with much of the world still urbanizing, there are concerns that urbanization is a key driver of unsustainable resource demands. Urbanization also appears to contribute to ever-growing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Meanwhile, in much of Africa and Asia and many nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, urbanization has long outstripped local governments' capacities or willingness to act as can be seen in the high proportion of the urban population living in poor quality, overcrowded, illegal housing lacking provision for water, sanitation, drainage, healthcare and schools. But there is good evidence that urban areas can combine high living standards with relatively low GHG emissions and lower resource demands. This paper draws on some examples of this and considers what these imply for urban policies in a resource-constrained world. These suggest that cities can allow high living standards to be combined with levels of GHG emissions that are much lower than those that are common in affluent cities today. This can be achieved not with an over-extended optimism on what new technologies can bring but mostly by a wider application of what already has been shown to work.

With more than half the world’s population now living in urban areas and with much of the world still urbanizing, there are concerns that urbanization is a key driver of unsustainable resource demands. Urbanization also appears to contribute to ever-growing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Meanwhile, in much of Africa and Asia and many nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, urbanization has long outstripped local governments’ capacities or willingness to act as can be seen in the high proportion of the urban population living in poor quality, overcrowded, illegal housing lacking provision for water, sanitation, drainage, healthcare and schools. But there is good evidence that urban areas can combine high living standards with relatively low GHG emissions and lower resource demands. This paper draws on some examples of this and considers what these imply for urban policies in a resource-constrained world. These suggest that cities can allow high living standards to be combined with levels of GHG emissions that are much lower than those that are common in affluent cities today. This can be achieved not with an over-extended optimism on what new technologies can bring but mostly by a wider application of what already has been shown to work.

In this study, the level of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland were monitored and greenhouse gas emissions were estimated by using a newly developed model. The effects of three different plant species on greenhouse gas emissions were investigated. Cyperus esculentus (Zone I), Typha latifolia (Zone II) and Phragmites australis (Zone III) were selected as the experimental species. Greenhouse gas emissions were sampled twelve times totally by using the closed chamber method between January and December. The highest level of emission was measured for nitrous oxide emission, released from Zone I in August (10,8371 kg CO2e/d). The lowest level of emission was measured for carbon dioxide emission (0,0156 kg CO2e/d) at Zone III in January. The results revealed that Cyperus esculentus has the highest greenhouse gas emission and the highest Global Warming Potential. All greenhouse gas emissions were influenced from different plant species. Phragmites australis could be used for minimizing the level of greenhouse gas emissions as it has the lowest level of greenhouse gas emission and Global Warming Potential. Finally, the possible level of greenhouse gas emission is estimated by using Monte Carlo simulation if the wetland is vegetated with only Phragmites australis. Approximately 33% of greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if the wetland is vegetated onlywith Phragmites australis.

The Irish Climate Action Plan published in 2019 outlines the significant role that agriculture will have to take to achieve a national reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. Recent growth in the agricultural sector, especially of the bovine population, however, has led to a continuous increase of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. For the agricultural sector to meet its potential, greenhouse gas emission targets could be challenging. The agricultural sector model CAPRI is used to investigate the impact of a 20 per cent EU-wide agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation target on the Irish agriculture sector. Three scenarios, allowing the endogenous implementation of mitigation technologies, show the possible impact range of such a policy target. The research indicates that the Irish agriculture sector can achieve the set mitigation target by adapting livestock production systems, resulting in agricultural efficiency gains, and by implementing specific mitigation technologies. Without a mandatory mitigation target but with subsidies granted, changes in the level of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are marginal, and voluntary adoption is limited. Subsidising the implementation of mitigation technologies can buffer the impact that a mitigation target will have on the agriculture sector in Ireland while achieving the set greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Total agricultural income increases if a mandatory target is set due to strong structural changes. As the analysis shows, the emission reduction is partly achieved through a reduction in total production and strong competitors outside of the EU appear to fill the occurring supply gap. This could potentially lead to a carbon leakage effect with production and emissions shifting towards strong ruminant-based producing countries.

The global rise in average environmental temperatures is associated with the emission of greenhouse gases due to human economic activities, including crop production. Current findings indicate the absence of a systematic approach and tools for a comprehensive assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production. (Research purpose) The study aims to develop mathematical models and methods to assess greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production. (Materials and methods) The work was carried out based on the analysis of published data from both domestic and international researchers. (Results and discussion) The research validates a set of indicators for assessing the level of greenhouse gas emissions during agricultural production. The novelty of the methodology involves the integration of numerous indicators and parameters of the greenhouse gas emission process, taking into account stochastic disturbances in the emission process. Factors such as soil tillage methods, fuel consumption per unit of work performed, the dose, method and ratio of applied fertilizers, content of plant residues and soil texture, as well as other variables, are considered as stochastic factors. Unlike the methodology outlined in the 2006 IPCC Guidelines (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from crop production, the developed methodology addresses more complex scenarios associated with processes containing simultaneously the elements that are both continuous and discrete in nature. As an example, the paper presents calculations for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from potato cultivation using the proposed methodology. (Conclusions) The calculated probability coefficient, with a value exceeding 2.21, indicates that the technology used does not meet environmental standards. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to develop technical and technological solutions that optimize the indicators utilized in this methodology.

BackgroundThe typical Western diet is associated with high levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and with obesity and other diet-related diseases. This study aims to determine the impact of adjustments to the current diet at specific moments of food consumption, to lower GHG emissions and improve diet quality.MethodsFood consumption in the Netherlands was assessed by two non-consecutive 24-h recalls for adults aged 19–69 years (n = 2102). GHG emission of food consumption was evaluated with the use of life cycle assessments. The population was stratified by gender and according to tertiles of dietary GHG emission. Scenarios were developed to lower GHG emissions of people in the highest tertile of dietary GHG emission; 1) reducing red and processed meat consumed during dinner by 50% and 75%, 2) replacing 50% and 100% of alcoholic and soft drinks (including fruit and vegetable juice and mineral water) by tap water, 3) replacing cheese consumed in between meals by plant-based alternatives and 4) two combinations of these scenarios. Effects on GHG emission as well as nutrient content of the diet were assessed.ResultsThe mean habitual daily dietary GHG emission in the highest tertile of dietary GHG emission was 6.7 kg CO2-equivalents for men and 5.1 kg CO2-equivalents for women. The scenarios with reduced meat consumption and/or replacement of all alcoholic and soft drinks were most successful in reducing dietary GHG emissions (ranging from − 15% to − 34%) and also reduced saturated fatty acid intake and/or sugar intake. Both types of scenarios lead to reduced energy and iron intakes. Protein intake remained adequate.ConclusionsReducing the consumption of red and processed meat during dinner and of soft and alcoholic drinks throughout the day leads to significantly lower dietary GHG emissions of people in the Netherlands in the highest tertile of dietary GHG emissions, while also having health benefits. For subgroups of the population not meeting energy or iron requirements as a result of these dietary changes, low GHG emission and nutritious replacement foods might be needed in order to meet energy and iron requirements.

Greenhouse gas emissions from sugar cane ethanol: Estimate considering current different production scenarios in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The article aims to analyze the impact of green investments and the development of renewable energy on greenhouse gas emissions based on 223 countries in 2011–2021. The information base is the International Renewable Energy Agency, Our World in Data, Climate Policy Initiative, and FTSE Russell. Correlation analysis was used to check the data multicollinearity, multivariate regression analysis with stepwise variable entry—to formalize functional relationships. All variables characterizing the dynamics of green investments and the development of alternative energy, the number of annual investments in off-grid renewable energy has the largest impact on the amount of CO2 and N2O. Thus, an annual investment increase of USD 1 million leads to a CO2 emission increase of 4.5 kt and an N2O emission increase of 0.272 kt. Simultaneously, the green economy’s market capitalization level has the largest impact on the amount of CH4. In this case, a capitalization increases of USD 1 trillion leads to a CH4 emission increase of 129.53 kt. The dynamics of renewable energy development have a statistically significant effect on only one of the three studied greenhouse gases—CO2 emissions. Here, 1 MW growth of an absolute increase in off-grid renewable energy capacity leads to a 1171.17 kt reduction of CO2 emissions. Checking input data for lags confirmed a time lag of one year between the level of green investments and the level of greenhouse gas emissions. That is, the impact of green investments on the level of greenhouse gas emissions is delayed by one year. The results of regression models taking into account lags confirmed that an increase in the level of green investments has a positive effect on reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions (an increase in off-grid renewable energy annual investments of USD 1 million leads to a decrease in CO2 of 1.18 kt and N2O of 1.102 kt; the increase in green economy market capitalization of USD 1 trillion leads to a decrease in CH4 emissions of 0.64 kt).

Abstract. To track progress towards keeping global warming well below 2 ∘C or even 1.5 ∘C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, comprehensive up-to-date and reliable information on anthropogenic emissions and removals of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is required. Here we compile a new synthetic dataset on anthropogenic GHG emissions for 1970–2018 with a fast-track extension to 2019. Our dataset is global in coverage and includes CO2 emissions, CH4 emissions, N2O emissions, as well as those from fluorinated gases (F-gases: HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3) and provides country and sector details. We build this dataset from the version 6 release of the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR v6) and three bookkeeping models for CO2 emissions from land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF). We assess the uncertainties of global greenhouse gases at the 90 % confidence interval (5th–95th percentile range) by combining statistical analysis and comparisons of global emissions inventories and top-down atmospheric measurements with an expert judgement informed by the relevant scientific literature. We identify important data gaps for F-gas emissions. The agreement between our bottom-up inventory estimates and top-down atmospheric-based emissions estimates is relatively close for some F-gas species (∼ 10 % or less), but estimates can differ by an order of magnitude or more for others. Our aggregated F-gas estimate is about 10 % lower than top-down estimates in recent years. However, emissions from excluded F-gas species such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are cumulatively larger than the sum of the reported species. Using global warming potential values with a 100-year time horizon from the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global GHG emissions in 2018 amounted to 58 ± 6.1 GtCO2 eq. consisting of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and industry (FFI) 38 ± 3.0 GtCO2, CO2-LULUCF 5.7 ± 4.0 GtCO2, CH4 10 ± 3.1 GtCO2 eq., N2O 2.6 ± 1.6 GtCO2 eq., and F-gases 1.3 ± 0.40 GtCO2 eq. Initial estimates suggest further growth of 1.3 GtCO2 eq. in GHG emissions to reach 59 ± 6.6 GtCO2 eq. by 2019. Our analysis of global trends in anthropogenic GHG emissions over the past 5 decades (1970–2018) highlights a pattern of varied but sustained emissions growth. There is high confidence that global anthropogenic GHG emissions have increased every decade, and emissions growth has been persistent across the different (groups of) gases. There is also high confidence that global anthropogenic GHG emissions levels were higher in 2009–2018 than in any previous decade and that GHG emissions levels grew throughout the most recent decade. While the average annual GHG emissions growth rate slowed between 2009 and 2018 (1.2 % yr−1) compared to 2000–2009 (2.4 % yr−1), the absolute increase in average annual GHG emissions by decade was never larger than between 2000–2009 and 2009–2018. Our analysis further reveals that there are no global sectors that show sustained reductions in GHG emissions. There are a number of countries that have reduced GHG emissions over the past decade, but these reductions are comparatively modest and outgrown by much larger emissions growth in some developing countries such as China, India, and Indonesia. There is a need to further develop independent, robust, and timely emissions estimates across all gases. As such, tracking progress in climate policy requires substantial investments in independent GHG emissions accounting and monitoring as well as in national and international statistical infrastructures. The data associated with this article (Minx et al., 2021) can be found at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5566761.

Greenhouse gas emissions of anthropogenic origin, including those from the food production system, are considered one of the main reasons for global climate warming, so many measures are being taken to reduce them. After joining the European Union, the Visegrad Group countries are obliged to monitor and report the level of greenhouse gas emissions, which is also closely related to the level and structure of energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency estimates, 75% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union are related to energy production or use. High food productivity brings with it energy-intensive solutions that increase emissions. It is also important that tackling climate change is not a barrier to increased food production. In this context, the lowest possible emission intensity of the food production system, understood as the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of production or gross value added, should be sought. The study aimed to calculate the emission intensity of food production systems in the Visegrad countries in 2010-2016. The emission intensity of agribusiness greenhouse gases was calculated as the emissions forfeited per unit of output and gross value added. The paper uses the author's methods, which are consistent with each other, for calculating agribusiness production and income, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from the food production system. Data from input-output tables and, consistent with these tables, environmental accounts published on Eurostat's website were used to calculate these quantities. During the period under review, the GHG intensity index decreased in Visegrad countries despite an overall increase in emissions of primary greenhouse gases from food production. However, these changes are minor, mainly due to the short analysis period. However, further growth in food production may not contribute to an increase in the level of greenhouse gas emissions. Financing pro-environmental investments at all stages of food production will be key in this regard. Further research in this area, using the methodology presented in this article, will make it possible to compare the results obtained with those calculated from more recent data. This will make it possible to capture the impact of, for example, the European Green Deal and the financing of pro-environmental investments in the agribusiness of the Visegrad Group countries.

Optimal offering of wind-photovoltaic-thermal generation company in energy and reserve markets in the presence of environmental and risk analysis