Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise-FAO

Apr 17, 2014 News

Emissions from agriculture, forestry and fisheries have nearly doubled over the past 50 years and could increase an additional 30 per cent by 2050, without greater efforts to reduce them.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), agricultural emissions from crop and livestock production grew from 4.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) in 2001 to over 5.3 billion tonnes in 2011, a 14 per cent increase. The increase occurred mainly in developing countries, due to an expansion of total agricultural outputs.
Meanwhile, net GHG emissions due to land use change and deforestation registered a nearly 10 per cent decrease over the 2001-2010 period, averaging some three billion tonnes CO2 eq per year over the decade. This was the result of reduced levels of deforestation and increases in the amount of atmospheric carbon being sequestered in many countries.
Averaged over the 2001-2010 period, AFOLU emissions break down as follows: five billion tonnes CO2 eq per year from crop and livestock production; four billion tonnes CO2 eq per year due to net forest conversion to other lands (a proxy for deforestation); one billion tonnes CO2 eq per year from degraded peatlands; and 0.2 billion tonnes CO2 eq per year by biomass fires
In addition to these emissions, some two billion tonnes CO2 eq per year were removed from the atmosphere during the same time frame as a result of carbon sequestration in forest sinks.
FAO’s data based on country reports show that while those emissions continue to increase, they are not growing as fast as emissions from fossil fuel use in other sectors, so the share of AFOLU out of total anthropogenic emissions is actually decreasing over time.
The largest source of GHG emissions within agriculture is enteric fermentation – when methane is produced by livestock during digestion and released via belches – this accounted in 2011 for 39 per cent of the sector’s total GHG outputs. Emissions from enteric fermentation increased 11 per cent between 2001 and 2011.
Emissions generated during the application of synthetic fertilisers accounted for 13 per cent of agricultural emissions (725 Mt CO2 eq) in 2011, and are the fastest growing emissions source in agriculture, having increased some 37 per cent since 2001.
Greenhouse gases resulting from biological processes in rice paddies that generate methane make up 10 per cent of total agricultural emissions, while the burning of savannahs accounts for five per cent.
In 2011, 44 per cent of agriculture-related GHG outputs occurred in Asia, followed by the Americas (25 per cent), Africa (15 per cent), Europe (12 per cent), and Oceania (four per cent), according to FAO’s data. This regional distribution was fairly constant over the last decade.
In 1990, however, Asia’s contribution to the global total (38 per cent) was smaller than at present, while Europe’s was much larger (21 per cent).
The new FAO data also provide a detailed view of emissions from energy use in the agriculture sector generated from traditional fuel sources, including electricity and fossil fuels burned to power agricultural machinery, irrigation pumps and fishing vessels.
The FAO is already generating disaggregated assessments along supply chains and analysing the effectiveness of comprehensive mitigation interventions in the livestock sector.
“FAO’s new data represent the most comprehensive source of information on agriculture’s contribution to global warming made to date,” said Francesco Tubiello of the organisation’s Climate, Energy and Tenure Division.
“Up to now, information gaps have made it extremely difficult for scientists and policymakers to make strategic decisions regarding how to respond to climate change and have hampered efforts to mitigate agriculture’s emissions.
“Data on emissions for AFOLU activities support member countries in better identifying their mitigation options and enable their farmers to take faster and more targeted climate-smart responses.
This in turn improves their overall resilience and their food security. It also allows the countries to tap into international climate funding and accomplish their rural development goals. We also see much interest in capacity development on these topics at country level and respond to these needs through regional and country-level activities around the globe,” he added.

Latest News

Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise-FAO

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Thomas’ hat-trick inspires D.C Caesar Fox 10-5 victory, as Annai...

Stabroek Ballers, Sparta Boss, Bent Street...

West Indies Falter in Disheartening Series Loss...

Trophy Stall hands over trophies for Kennard...

Omari Glasgow, carrying the hopes and dreams of a...

GCF eyeing growth across other regions in 2025...

Features/Columnists

The stakes are high in Guyana’s democracy

Let the asylum seekers go: a first step for Venezuela to rebuild relations in the Americas

A leader undresses in public

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise-FAO

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]