The development of the EMEP/CORINAIR Guidebook with respect to the emissions of different nitrogen and carbon species from animal production

Abstract

The reduction of emissions of air pollutants is subject of international conventions, which include reporting of emissions in accordance with guidelines or guidebooks provided. Within the Convention on the Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, the Atmospheric Emission Inventory Guidebook describes the methodology. With respect to emissions from agricultural sources, in particular from animal husbandry, this guidebook at present undergoes major modifications: the calculation procedure making use of partial emission factors for the various sources of emissions (animal house, storage, manure application, etc.) is being replaced by a mass flow concept for both nitrogen and carbon species. The current state of the Guidebook, present activities to update it and future plans are described. The necessity to update both the Guidebook and the IPCC Guidelines as complementary tools to describe agricultural emissions and mass flows is emphasized.