Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• One-time emission of 1 Mt CO2 results in a higher immediate radiative forcing (mW/m²) compared to a stable flux.
• A consistent flow of methane (1 Mt CH4) does not lead to increasing warming.
• Reducing methane emissions is vital for climate impact reduction, but not at the expense of CO2 reduction.
• A 1 Mt CO2 emission annually for 100 years has a different radiative forcing profile compared to a single large emission.
• A similar 1 Mt CH4 emission profile over 100 years also has a unique radiative forcing compared to a single release.

Emission Sources in Animal Agriculture

• Key sources of emissions include enteric fermentation, manure management, and feed.
• Mitigation strategies include improved manure management techniques (treatment, storage, application), enhanced feeding strategies (diet composition, additives), and improved animal management (productivity, health).
• Reducing fossil fuel use and soil carbon sequestration are also significant mitigations.

Soil Carbon Sequestration

• Poor land use, deforestation, and conversion of grasslands to arable land harm soil carbon stocks.
• Soil carbon sequestration has the potential to offset 5-15% of global fossil fuel emissions.
• It's one of the most promising agricultural mitigation options.
• Soil carbon sequestration can potentially absorb the amount of annual anthropogenic CO2 emissions.

Minimizing Emissions in Animal Agriculture

• Practical methods to minimize emissions involve precision feeding, reducing unproductive animals, improving animal welfare, minimizing fossil fuel use, recycling animal/human excreta, preventing soil degradation, and preserving carbon stocks.
• Shifting to less animal-based diets is also important for emission reduction.