Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change Method Research Articles

Carbon emissions from global impervious surface expansion between 1985 and 2020

Impervious surface expansion (ISE) refers to the phenomenon that natural surfaces are covered by artificial materials, such as cement, asphalt, bricks, etc., usually due to human activities. Over recent decades, the rapid growth of the global population, economic development, and continuous urbanization have contributed to extensive ISE, which caused significant losses in terrestrial ecosystem carbon pools. A global assessment effort is lacking because of limited comprehensive data on carbon pools and uncertainties surrounding the extent of ISE. In this study, we aimed to quantify the carbon emissions resulting from global ISE between 1985 and 2020, following the method provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines. We first divided global land into 87 fine geographical zones by overlaying continental boundary information with an ecological zone map. Then, multiple time-series impervious surface data products, land cover dynamic monitoring product, global biomass data, and topsoil organic carbon (TSOC) information were integrated to build a lookup table (LUT) of biomass and TSOC density for these fine geographical zones. Last, we employed the IPCC method to estimate carbon emissions from ISE between 1985 and 2020. Our findings indicated a global ISE encompassing a total area of 58.12 Mha, with cropland encroachment accounting for 67.30 %. Over the past 35 years, cumulative committed carbon emissions from global ISE reached 1.14 ± 0.38 PgC, with TSOC representing 54.55 % and biomass carbon contributing 45.45 %.

Potential reduction of CO2 emissions which is the cause of greenhouse gases during COVID-19

Background: The implementation of education in tertiary institutions contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which causes the greenhouse effect and global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies transportation, energy supply, and industry as the primary sectors driving CO2 emissions over the past 30 years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly reduced CO2 emissions globally by up to 70% due to restricted activities. In 2020, the pandemic led countries, including Indonesia, to enforce Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) to curb virus spread, which significantly limited community mobility and vehicle use. Climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions, is a critical development challenge for Indonesia. Method: The study uses various calculation methods from journals and websites, incorporating expert opinions and the IPCC's method, to analyze emission reductions. Findings: The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns reduced CO2 emissions due to decreased fuel consumption and mobility. Conclusion: This period highlights opportunities for strategies like low-carbon development to continue reducing emissions from vehicles. Novelty/Originality of this Study: This study provides a novel contribution by quantitatively assessing CO2 emission reductions during the COVID-19 lockdown, emphasizing the unique context of an unprecedented global event. It conducts a comprehensive literature review to integrate various CO2 calculation methods, particularly highlighting the sophisticated IPCC method, and offers a comparative analysis of emission reduction techniques.

A comparison of Tier 1, 2, and 3 methods for quantifying nitrous oxide emissions from soils amended with biosolids

Municipal biosolids are a nitrogen (N)-rich agricultural fertilizer which may emit nitrous oxide (N2O) after rainfall events. Due to sparse empirical data, there is a lack of biosolids-specific N2O emission factors to determine how land-applied biosolids contribute to the national greenhouse gas inventory. This study estimated N2O emissions from biosolids-amended land in Canada using Tier 1, Tier 2 (Canadian), and Tier 3 (Denitrification and Decomposition model [DNDC]) methodologies recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Field data was from replicated plots at 8 site-years between 2017 and 2019 in the provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta, Canada, representing three distinct ecozones. Municipal biosolids were the major N source for the crop, applied as mesophilic anaerobically digested biosolids, composted biosolids, or alkaline-stabilized biosolids alone or combined with an equal amount of urea-N fertilizer to meet the crop N requirements. Fluxes of N2O were measured during the growing season with manual chambers and compared to N2O emissions estimated using the IPCC methods. In all site-years, the mean emission of N2O in the growing season was greater with digested biosolids than other biosolids sources or urea fertilizer alone. The emissions of N2O in the growing season were similar with composted or alkaline-stabilized biosolids, and no greater than the unfertilized control. The best estimates of N2O emissions, relative to measured values, were with the Tier 3 > adapted Tier 2 with biosolids-specific correction factors > standard Tier 2 = Tier 1 methods of the IPCC, according to the root mean square error statistic. The Tier 3 IPCC method was the best estimator of N2O emissions in the Canadian ecozones evaluated in this study. These results will be used to improve methods for estimating N2O emissions from agricultural soils amended with biosolids and to generate more accurate GHG inventories.

Net global warming potential index rather than soil carbon stock change could provide better understanding of the carbon balance in soil systems.

This study was conducted to determine the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock change factor for green manure crops that was developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 method and compare this with the net global warming potential (GWP) index that is used to evaluate the contribution of green manuring to global warming. Four treatments were barley (Hordeum vulgare L.; B), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.; HV), a barley/hairy vetch mixture (BHV) and a conventional treatment (C). The aboveground biomass of green manure crops was incorporated into the soil on 25 May 2018, 26 April 2019, 29 April 2020, 30 April 2021 and 2 May 2022. Maize (Zea mays L.) was transplanted as the subsequent crop after the incorporation of green manures. SOC stock decreased with green manures, even though carbon input with green manures, including B, HV and BHV, was greater than that with C. The mean value of the SOC stock change factor for green manure crops, including B, HV and BHV was 0.627 and was significantly lower than that of the C. However, the net GWP also decreased with the incorporation of green manure crops, and the mean value of the relative net GWP index across B, HV and BHV was 0.853. These conflicting results were caused by different estimation methods between annual SOC change (△SOC) and net GWP. The estimation of SOC stock change using △SOC suggested by the IPCC method may overestimate the contribution of green manure crops to global warming. The net GWP method with comprehensive input and output of carbon in the soil system could provide a better understanding of the carbon balance in soil systems. In the current study, the comparison of △SOC and net GWP was conducted for at one site of upland soil for 5years. Therefore, further research on estimating the effect of green manure crops on net GWP in various types of soil for longer years should be conducted.

Estimation Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions At Gunung Kupang Final Processing Site Landfill Using The IPCC Method

Methane gas (CH4) is one of the main Greenhouse Gases (GHG), which contributes 14.5% to global warming. The methane gas potential that can be created from final processing site landfills in 45 big cities in Indonesia in 2010 reached 11,390 tons of CH4/year or the equivalent of 239,199 tons of CO2/year. The decomposition process that occurs in the waste pile will produce methane emissions and be released into the atmosphere by 50-60%. Gunung Kupang final processing site is a final processing site that serves the Banjarbaru City area in addition to the Banjarbakula Regional final processing site, with waste coming in every day which continues to increase and has the potential to generate emissions. The purpose of this research is to analyze the characteristics in the form of waste generation and composition at the Gunung Kupang final processing site and to analyze the estimation of methane gas from the Gunung Kupang final processing site landfill activities using IPCC methods. The methods used in this study are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Total greenhouse gas emissions produced in the IPCC method from 2014-2020 were 1.49 Gg/year. In 2021-2024, it is estimated that methane produced using the IPCC method is 0.528 Gg/year

Environmental impact assessment of Finnish feed crop production with methodological comparison of PEF and IPCC methods for climate change impact

The impact of livestock production on the environment is already well acknowledged. When non-ruminants are considered, the major contributors to products' environmental impacts are related to feed crop production. Feed crop production sustainability is therefore especially relevant in addressing the sustainability and mitigation potential of non-ruminant production. Here, the climate change impact and water scarcity (WS) impact of the current Finnish feed crop production was assessed. The impact of methodological differences on the climate change impact of national-, regional-, and farm-level feed crop production were investigated for utilising the European Commission's Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) guidance and the guidelines provided by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).Feed crops selected for the assessment were considered as typical for Finnish pork and broiler chicken production, and included wheat (T. aestivum), oat (A. sativa), barley (H. vulgare), turnip rape (B. rapa ssp. oleifera), pea (P. sativum), and faba bean (V. faba). The farmgate climate change impact varied from turnip rape's 1.22 kg CO2 eq./kg to faba bean's 0.37 kg CO2 eq./kg, while cereals resulted in 0.47–0.63 kg CO2 eq./kg, and pea 0.49 kg CO2 eq./kg according to IPCC methods. Similarly, with PEF methods, the results varied from turnip rape's 1.18 kg CO2 eq./kg to 0.31 kg CO2 eq./kg of faba bean, cereals resulted in 0.42–0.58 kg CO2 eq./kg, and pea 0.43 kg CO2 eq./kg. The absolute difference between methods ranged between −0.045 and −0.068 kg CO2 eq./kg. The analysis showed that even if the relative error varied from 3% to 19% between methods, the relative order was the same, independent of the methods. The farmgate WS impact of Finnish feed crops was 0.23 m3 eq./kg for turnip rape, 0.05 m3 eq./kg for faba bean, 0.08 m3 eq./kg for barley, 0.08 m3 eq./kg for oat, 0.09 m3 eq./kg for wheat, and 0.06 m3 eq./kg for pea.It was observed that the PEF and IPCC methods functioned similarly in distinguishing better and worse performing crop production between cases. It was shown that the major contributors to feed crop production in Finland were energy and input production, N2O from N inputs, and peat soil degradation. The amount of N2O emissions from peat soil degradation especially demonstrated high variability and was therefore identified to have high mitigation potential. The investigation demonstrated the importance of including N2O emissions in the widest form when finding production hotspots.

Recent advances in carbon footprint studies of urban ecosystems: overview, application, and future challenges

Urban ecosystems are complex systems with anthropogenic features that generate considerable CO2 emissions, which contributes to global climate change. Quantitative estimates of the carbon footprint of urban ecosystems are crucial for developing low-carbon development policies to mitigate climate change. Herein, we reviewed more than 195 urban carbon footprint and carbon footprint related studies, collated the recent progress in carbon footprint calculation methods and research applications of the urban ecosystem carbon footprint, analyzed the research applications of the carbon footprint of different cities, and focused on the need to study the urban ecosystem carbon footprint from a holistic perspective. Specifically, we aimed to: (i) compare the strengths and weaknesses of five existing carbon footprint calculation methods [life cycle assessment, input–output analysis, hybrid life cycle assessment, carbon footprint calculator, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)]; (ii) analyze the status of current research on the carbon footprint of different urban subregions based on different features; and (iii) highlight new methods and areas of research on the carbon footprint of future urban ecosystems. Not all carbon footprint accounting methods are applicable to the carbon footprint determination of urban ecosystems; although the IPCC method is more widely used than the others, the hybrid life cycle assessment method is more accurate. With the emergence of new science and technology, quantitative methods to calculate the carbon footprint of urban ecosystems have evolved, becoming more accurate. Further development of new technologies, such as big data and artificial intelligence, to assess the carbon footprint of urban ecosystems is anticipated to help address the emerging challenges in urban ecosystem research effectively to achieve carbon neutrality and urban sustainability under global change.

Methane Emission Estimation and Dispersion Modeling for a Landfill in West Java, Indonesia

Methane gas (CH4) is a greenhouse gas that can potentially induce global warming and it is known as surface ozone precursor. CH4 is generally produced from biological process occurred at the landfill which is not equipped with CH4 recovery and treatment system. Note that, very few of landfills in Indonesia have been operated as sanitary landfill but rather most of them act as dumping site. One landfill in West Java Province is Sarimukti Landfill which receives nearly 604,674 ton of solid waste annually. Existing studies have been using the first tier of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline for the emission estimation which provides high uncertainty due to the international default data. In addition, there are uncertainties for the multi years estimation because the kinetic rate of biological processes was not involved in the calculation. To fill in this gap, this research was conducted to use an alternative of methodology for estimating CH4 from landfill using a well known software of the Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM) which facilitates biological reaction in the calculation. We will also perform calculations using the traditional IPCC method for the Sarimukti landfill as a case study. To quantify the impact of CH4 emission, its dispersion was calculated using the AMS/EPA Regulatory Model (AERMOD). Potential impact on surface ozone formation was assessed using ozone formation potential (OFP) metric. The results of this study indicate that methane gas emissions have increased every year, where the highest emissions occurred in 2025 of 14,810.41 Mg/year (LandGEM) and 11,462.66 Mg/year (IPCC). Likewise, the potential for OFP from methane gas concentrations has increased every year where the highest concentration of surface ozone formation is in 2025 of 183,40 Mg/year. Meanwhile, the methane emission (CH4) has a dispersion pattern which is influenced by meteorological factors around the Sarimukti landfill.

Application of bridle model in estimating greenhouse gases emissions from three wastewater treatment plants in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

The estimation of Green House Gases (GHGs) plays an important role in reducing emissions to prevent global warming and climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method is the most commonly used in estimating the emissions from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). However, it is difficult to establish technical strategies in emissions reduction as the method cannot identify which treatment unit contributes to the total emission. In this study, we estimated GHGs from WWTPs using the Bridal Model based on the operations and processes in each treatment plant unit. We applied the model to three WWTPs located in Fukushima, Koriyama, and Nihonmatsu City, Japan. The results were evaluated by comparisons with those estimated by the IPCC method. The bridle model results showed that the average daily GHG emissions in Fukushima, Koriyama, and Nihonmatsu in the 2015-2018 period were 86.4, 55.2 and 6.2 ton CO2 eq/day. Furthermore, emissions from the three WWTPS per m3 of treated wastewater were insignificantly different from those estimated by the IPCC method. Sludge treatment was the most sensitive treatment unit as it contributes to 31.8-70.3% of the total emission, followed by chemical and biological treatment units. The study suggests that utilizing biogases produced from the sludge treatment could reduce 21.4-49% of total emissions from a WWTP.

Estimation of household greenhouse gas emissions from different activities in Bintang Alam, Karawang Regency, Indonesia

Since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) declaration in 2015, nations have attempted to meet the 17 goals, one of which is addressing climate change. In this respect, current conditions have brought forth a significant challenge to the environment, global economy, and human health. This study aimed to analyze greenhouse gasses from household activities in the Bintang Alam housing complex, Indonesia. Data on waste were collected based on Indonesia National Standard 19.3964.1994, while data on fuel consumption from waste transportation to landfills were collected through interviews. Data on household consumption of water and electricity as well as demographics were gathered using questionnaires. The waste reduction model and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) method were used in the estimation. Results showed that solid waste management, wastewater management, clean water production, and electricity consumption resulted in emissions of 1,634.26; 89.13; 381.24, and 4,122.87 tons CO2e/year, respectively. The total GHG emissions were 6,227.5 ton CO2e/year or an equivalent of 4,151.6 ton CO2e/household/year or 1,149.60 ton CO2e/person/year. To reduce GHG emissions, electricity-saving through behavioral changes, a shift to energy-saving household appliances and waste management through recycling and composting should be encouraged. If these practices were applied, GHG emissions in the study site would decline to 1,619.15 ton CO2e/year, accounting for a 26% reduction in total current emissions.

Updated potential soil carbon sequestration rates on U.S. agricultural land based on the 2019 IPCC guidelines

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently updated the 2006 IPCC Guidelines to reflect the most current research and information available for countries to accurately estimate their reporting data for greenhouse gas emissions. To report on changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), the IPCC method uses fixed factors to estimate how land-use and management changes affect default reference SOC stocks. The 2019 IPCC Guidelines incorporate additional studies and more recent research to modify the default reference SOC stocks and the factors used to estimate the effect of land use and management changes on SOC stocks. The research presented here applies the 2019 IPCC factors to agricultural land in the conterminous U.S. and compares the results to the same research conducted using the 1996 IPCC factors. Baseline SOC stocks were slightly higher estimated with 1996 IPCC factors compared to 2019 factors (17.1 vs 15.2 Tg C yr−1 (million metric tonnes of carbon per year)), but the source was quite different. Applying the 1996 factors resulted in about 52 percent of the SOC stock increase from land-use-change (LUC) and 42 percent from tillage effects while the 2019 factors indicate about two-thirds of the SOC stock increase was from LUC and one-third from tillage effects. Using the 1996 IPCC documentation provided estimates of annual SOC stock increases of 83.2 Tg C yr−1 for twenty years (66 Tg C yr−1 more than the baseline) from set-aside, including winter-cover crops, eliminating fallow, and no-till adoption. Smaller increases from these same activities are estimated when using the 2019 IPCC factors with a total potential increase of 47.3 Tg C yr−1. The SOC stock increases are predominantly in the wetter regions. The two activities that provide the greatest increase in estimated SOC stocks were from the addition of cover crops, which increased SOC by 17.7 Tg C yr−1 using 2019 IPCC factors compared to 22.8 Tg C yr−1 using the 1996 IPCC factors, and full adoption of no-till which increased SOC by 18.4 compared to 30.3 Tg C yr−1 for the same comparison.

Estimating GHG Emission Level from Oil and Gas Offshore Production Facility

Oil and gas (O&G) production activities emits greenhouse gases (GHG) which must be well estimated to improve accountability and formulating efficient mitigation. The Indonesia’s GHG emission reported thru Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) was estimated by Tier-1 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method, while the O&G company adopts different methodology. This leads to asynchronous GHG emission contribution of this industry to national GHG emission. This paper aims to estimate the GHG inventory from O&G offshore production facility by using American Petroleum Institute (API) Compendium Methodology and compare it with Tier-1 IPCC Methodology. It found that GHG emission estimated by API method is significantly lower than IPCC method. Both methods shown fuel combustion sources are the dominant. GHG emission sources from fuel combustion and flaring have been well identified, but emission sources from venting and fugitive need to be improved. Moreover this study identified that to have more accurate national GHG inventory, the GHG calculation method might be different for each industry segment. This evaluation could improve the future national GHG inventory and as reference for the industry. National emission factors database for O&G industry segment is highly suggested to be developed.

Life-cycle impact assessment of renewable electricity generation systems in the United States

Renewable electricity generation technologies provide a more sustainable solution than the non-renewables. However, as a complete system, renewable energy generation systems have some overall environmental impacts on humankind, resources and ecosystems. This paper will address the environmental effects caused by different types of renewable plants through life-cycle assessment. A comparative study is done among solar PV, biomass, and pumped storage hydropower plants in the United States. Life-cycle impact analysis has been carried out by the Eco-indicator 99, TRACI (Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other Environmental Impacts), CED (Cumulative Energy Demand), Ecopoints 97, RMF (Raw Material Flows) and IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) methods, using the SimaPro software. The impacts are considered in 10 mid-point impact categories and three end-point indicators. The results show that pumped storage hydropower plants have the highest impact on human health (7.74E-05/kWh) and the ecosystem (3.35E-06/kWh), whereas biomass plants have the maximum effect on resources (4.79E-07/kWh). Overall, the solar PV plants are found to be much more environment-friendly than other renewable electricity generation systems. These findings will guide investors in installing sustainable and clean power plants.

Estimation of Carbon Dioxide from Transportation Sector Based on Urban Data Availability

One source of potential carbon dioxides in most developing countries is the transportation sector. The calculation of carbon dioxides is therefore, important as a part of policy making on carbon management in the region. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calculation method which were often used require large and complete data. This is a problematic for developing countries due to the availability of data are not in accordance or sufficient with the IPCC method. This study examined the alternative calculation methods that are tailored to the available data in most developing countries. Two alternative methods are proposed for calculating carbon dioxide emissions; the first method is based on data of the number and types of vehicles, and the second method is based on the data and the length of the road class. The results show that both alternative methods are reliable to estimate specific emission factor (SEF) and emission estimates that are close to the IPCC calculation methods. The alternative of second method provides results that are closer to the IPCC calculation method with the correlation value of 0.997 and the standard error of 2.8 ton CO2/years, as compared to the results of alternative first method (correlation value of 0.990 and the standard error of 4.7 ton CO2/years).

Analysis of Influencing Factors and Trend Forecast of Carbon Emission from Energy Consumption in China Based on Expanded STIRPAT Model

With the convening of the annual global climate conference, the issue of global climate change has gradually become the focus of attention of the international community. As the largest carbon emitter in the world, China is facing a serious situation of carbon emission reduction. This paper uses the IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) method to calculate the carbon emissions of energy consumption in China from 1996 to 2016, and uses it as a dependent variable to analyze the influencing factors. In this paper, five factors, total population, per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product), urbanization level, primary energy consumption structure, technology level, and industrial structure are selected as the influencing factors of carbon emissions. Based on the expanded STIRPAT (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) model, the influencing degree of different factors on carbon emissions of energy consumption is analyzed. The results show that the order of impact on carbon emissions from high to low is total population, per capita GDP, technology level, industrial structure, primary energy consumption structure, and urbanization level. On the basis of the above research, the carbon emissions of China′s energy consumption in the future are predicted under eight different scenarios. The results show that, when the population and economy keep a low growth rate, while improving the technology level can effectively control carbon emissions from energy consumption, China′s carbon emissions from energy consumption will reach 302.82 million tons in 2020.

Modeling Impacts of Highway Circular Curve Elements on Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks' CO2 Emissions.

Heavy-duty trucks contribute a significant component of all transportation in cargo terminals, such as Shaanxi Province, China. The emissions from these vehicles are the primary source of carbon emissions during highway operations. While several studies have attempted to address emission issues by improving traffic operations, a few focused on the relationship between emissions and highway geometric design, especially for heavy-duty trucks. The primary goal of this research was to understand the impact of circular curve on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by heavy-duty diesel trucks. Firstly, appropriate parameters were specified in MOVES (motor vehicle emission simulator) model according to the geometrical characteristics. Fuel consumption, speed and location data were collected by hiring five skilled drivers on the automotive proving ground located at Chang’an University, Shaanxi Province. The associated carbon emission data were derived from fuel consumption data by applying the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) method. After this, the applicability of MOVES model was verified by the field experiment. Moreover, a multiple regression model for CO2 emissions incorporated with roadway segment radius, circular curve length, and initial vehicle speed was established with data generated by the MOVES model. The proposed CO2 emission model was also verified by field experiment with relative error of 6.17%. It was found that CO2 emission had monotone decreasing property with radius increasing, and the minimum radius that influenced diesel CO2 emission was 550 m. The proposed quantitative CO2 emission model can provide a reference for low-carbon highway design, leading to environment-friendly transportation construction.

Indirect N2O emissions from groundwater under high nitrogen-load farmland in eastern China

Current estimates of global indirect N2O emissions are based on a relatively small dataset and remain a major source of uncertainly in the global N2O budget. Nitrogen (N)-enriched groundwater from agricultural fields may act as an important source of indirect N2O emissions as it discharges to adjacent watershed areas. During 2015–2017, dissolved N2O concentrations in groundwater were measured and indirect N2O emission factors (EF5g) calculated under three typical high-N land-use types (vineyard, vegetable field and paddy field) in eastern China. The average dissolved N2O concentrations in groundwater were 58.1 ± 40.4, 18.5 ± 11.5 and 0.72 ± 0.27 μg N L−1 for vineyard, vegetable field and paddy field, respectively. The dissolved N2O was over-saturated and was therefore a net source of N2O to the atmosphere. The indirect N2O emission factors (EF5g) of vineyard (0.0091) and vegetable (0.0092) fields were much higher than the current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default value of 0.0025 which indicated that these land-uses may have led to indirect N2O emissions from the underlying groundwater. In contrast, the EF5g of the paddy field (0.0019) was slightly lower than the default EF5g proposed by IPCC (2006) and contributed minimal indirect N2O emissions to the atmosphere. However, the current IPCC method may have overestimated the contribution of groundwater N2O to the global N cycle because it took residual but not initial groundwater NO3−-N concentration into account when calculating EF5g. Therefore, we proposed the adoption of an improved method for calculating the EF5g and compared it to the current IPCC (2006) method using data from the present study and other published data. The results of the comparison showed that the improved method was more scientifically appropriate measurement for calculating EF5g.

Implementation of the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules for dairy products: An approach to assess nitrogen emissions in a mass balanced dairy farm system

Following the Single Market for Green Products, the European Commission released the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules for Dairy Products (PEFCR-D). According to the PEFCR-D, nitrogen (N) emissions must be calculated as stated by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the European Environmental Agency (EMEP/EEA) methods. However, since the IPCC method and the EMEP/EEA method follow different N flows, the estimated N emissions differ at common farm stages resulting in incompatibilities in the reported PEFCR-D emissions from a mass balance perspective. This work proposes a comprehensive approach to calculate N emissions to satisfy the PEFCR-D guideline in a N balanced farm system. The proposed approach coordinates and balances the N flows at each stage in order to estimate the N emissions from the dairy system. In this regard, emissions such as N2O, NH3, NOx, N2 and NO3− are estimated following the IPCC and EMEP/EEA methods from a single N flow in the system. The N losses in the whole dairy farm are estimated to increase 4.41% as a result of the implementing the PEFCR-D in a N balanced system instead of a non-balanced one. Consequently, an increase in environmental impacts of the farm such as Global Warming Potential (6.68%), Marine Eutrophication (4.91%) and Terrestrial Eutrophication (4.26%) were also measured. Moreover, the proposed approach to implement the PEFCR-D enabled the redistribution of emissions between farm stages; particularly relocating N emissions and environmental impacts between manure management and application. This resulted in a decrement on the manure management stage environmental impacts such as Global Warming (−41.88%) and Photochemical Ozone formation (−25.49%). On the other hand, at application stage, increments in Global Warming (26.94%), Marine Eutrophication (8.48%) and Terrestrial Eutrophication (7.52%) were evidenced when contrasting the outcomes between the non-balanced and balanced PEFCR-D calculation approach.

Estimation of CO2 emissions from waste incinerators: Comparison of three methods

Climate-relevant CO2 emissions from waste incineration were compared using three methods: making use of CO2 concentration data, converting O2 concentration and waste characteristic data, and using a mass balance method following Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. For the first two methods, CO2 and O2 concentrations were measured continuously from 24 to 86 days. The O2 conversion method in comparison to the direct CO2 measurement method had a 4.8% mean difference in daily CO2 emissions for four incinerators where analyzed waste composition data were available. However, the IPCC method had a higher difference of 13% relative to the direct CO2 measurement method. For three incinerators using designed values for waste composition, the O2 conversion and IPCC methods in comparison to the direct CO2 measurement method had mean differences of 7.5% and 89%, respectively. Therefore, the use of O2 concentration data measured for monitoring air pollutant emissions is an effective method for estimating CO2 emissions resulting from waste incineration.

Incorporating denitrification-decomposition method to estimate field emissions for Life Cycle Assessment

This study focuses on a detailed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for flax cultivation in Northern France. Nitrogen related field emissions are derived both from a process-oriented DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) method and the generic Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method. Since the IPCC method is synthesised from field measurements at sites with various soil types, climate conditions, and crops, it contains significant uncertainties. In contrast, the outputs from the DNDC method are considered as more site specific as it is built according to complex models of soil science. As it is demonstrated in this paper the emission factors from the DNDC method and the recommended values from the IPCC method exhibit significant variations for the case of flax cultivation. The DNDC based emission factor for direct N2O emission, which is a strong greenhouse gas, is 0.25–0.5%, significantly lower than the recommend 1% level derived from the IPCC method. The DNDC method leads to a reduction of 17% in the impact category of climate change per kg retted flax straw production from the level obtained from the IPCC method. Much higher reductions are recorded for particulate matter formation, terrestrial acidification, and marine eutrophication impact categories. Meanwhile, based on the DNDC and IPCC methods, a comparative LCA per kg flax straw is presented. For both methods sensitivity analysis as well as comparison of uncertainties parameterisation of the N2O estimates via Monte-Carlo analysis are performed. The DNDC method incorporates more relevant field emissions from the agricultural life cycle phase, which can also improve the quality of the Life Cycle Inventory as well as allow more precise uncertainty calibration in the LCA inventory.