Advancing agricultural greenhouse gas quantification
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Olander, Lydia; Wollenberg, Eva; Tubiello, Francesco N.; Herold, Martin

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/011002

Cited by 40 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…In South Africa, livestock production accounts for about 70% of the agricultural land use due to extensive areas of marginal soils and low rainfall [17,18]. Livestock production varies substantially with numbers, breeds and species according to grazing, environment and production systems (commercial, small-scale or communal) [17,19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

2017

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Methane (CH 4 ) from enteric fermentation is one of the main anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Africa. Livestock population data from 1990 to 2014 and emission factors were utilized in estimating CH 4 emissions as per the 2006 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) guidelines. CH 4 emissions originating from country-specific emission factors were compared with those calculated using IPCC default emission factors. Trends in emissions were then determined using the Man-Kendall trend test at the 5% significance level. The results showed annual total enteric CH 4 emissions exceeding 1171.56 Gg (in 1995) with an average (1990 to 2014) of 1227.96 Gg. Non-dairy cattle are the highest emitters with an average of 873.07 Gg (71.10%) while sheep are the second highest with 227.61 Gg (18.54%). Other contributors are dairy cattle, goats, horses, pigs and donkeys with an average (percentage contribution) of 85.94 Gg (7.00%), 32.06 Gg (2.61%), 4.86 Gg (0.40%), 2.77 Gg (0.23%) and 1.65 Gg (0.13%), respectively. The trend analysis revealed positive trends for all the livestock categories, except sheep and goats which showed negative trends, consequently balancing out. The results obtained for the year 2014 were 37% higher than the enteric CH 4 emissions in 1990, 1994 and 2000 inventories and the emissions estimated entirely from IPCC default emission factors. This demonstrates the need for the development of Tier 2 emission factors for key category sectors such as cattle and sheep in South Africa. To fully adhere to the principles of GHG inventory accounting, there has to be total livestock inclusivity and major improvements in activity data collection.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Livestock production varies substantially with numbers, breeds and species according to grazing, environment and production systems (commercial, small-scale or communal) [17,19]. These differences in the management of livestock in the country are also reflected in the impact on GHG emissions from the livestock sector.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

2017

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“…Although some scenario modelling exercises do consider multi-gas emission pathways with direct relevance for non-CO 2 emission mitigation [9,10], typically more attention within the climate change mitigation literature is given to CO 2 abatement, particularly from the energy system. Studies that do address non-CO 2 mitigation show that there is a high degree of uncertainty over how to significantly curb and quantify these emissions [11][12][13][14][15], particularly N 2 O released from soils. These mitigation challenges are further exacerbated when taking into account a rising demand for food in general, projected rises in meat consumption specifically [16] and the impacts of climatic change [17][18][19][20][21].…”

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confidence: 99%

Importance of non-CO₂emissions in carbon management

et al. 2014

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Background and framingAt the Durban 2011 climate negotiations, it was decided 'to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change as soon as possible, and no later than 2015' [1]. This decision thereby fails to agree measures to curb emissions commensurate with the global ambition of avoiding a 2°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels. According to the IPCC Working Group III, future global temperatures can be limited to a 2-2.4°C rise above pre-industrial levels, but only if global emissions peak by 2015 [2]. Without a legally binding and widely adopted agreement by 2015, the most likely outcome is continued high emissions growth well beyond this, leaving little chance of remaining below the 2°C threshold [3][4][5]. The apparently conflicting messages emerging from the negotiations -that emissions must commensurate with avoiding 2°C [6], but that agreement will not be reached in time to achieve this-stress the importance of developing emission mitigation strategies that, at the same time, consider climate impacts and hence adaptation. A risk-averse strategy would frame adaptation by the most extreme global emission scenarios and mitigation by the lowest; for example, mitigate for 2°C, adapt for 4°C or higher [7]. Arguably, the reverse currently underpins climate policies -mitigation measures are more closely aligned with 4°C of warming [3,8], whilst adaptation research tends to focus on preparing for impacts associated with 2°C, largely because many emission scenarios will reach a 2°C warming around 2050. Addressing climate adaptation and mitigation in unison adds complexity but is essential in the case of the food system, where the climate has direct impacts on agricultural production. In this paper, bottom-up UK scenarios focused on the food system are used to infer global non-CO 2 emission pathways, by exploring different levels of mitigation and climate change impacts in the context of shifting levels and patterns of consumption. Understanding constraints on curbing non-CO 2 provides additional guidance for managing CO 2 budgets constrained to avoid a 2°C temperature rise. Background: GHG budgets highlight a need for urgency, yet analyses are often CO 2 -focused, with less attention paid to non-CO 2 . Results: In this paper, scenarios are used to explore non-CO 2 drivers and barriers to their mitigation, drawing out implications for CO 2 management. Results suggest that even optimistic technological and consumption-related developments lead to on-going increases in global N 2 O, largely to improve food security within a changing climate. This contrasts with existing analysis, where lower levels of N 2 O by 2050 are projected. Conclusions: As avoiding '2°C' limits the emissions budget, constraints on reducing non-CO 2 add pressure to energy system decarbonization. Overlooking how a changing climate and rising consumption restricts efforts to curb non-CO 2 will result in policies aiming to avoid 2°C falling short of the mark.© 2014 The Author(s). Published by Taylor & Francis. This is an Open Acces...

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“…Particularly, estimates on nitrogen-oxides emissions show a great temporal and spatial variability while their formations in microbial processes are strongly influenced by biogeochemical and physical properties of the soil (eg microbial species, soil texture, soil water, pH, redox-potential and nutrient status) and land use management through the impact of the application of natural and synthetic fertilisers, tillage, irrigation, compaction, planting and harvesting [11][12][13][14]. The uncertainty connected to global estimations on nitrogen-oxides emissions of soil origin is very high and they ranged in the 9.75-21 Tg N/year interval [15][16][17]. The different monitoring systems and inventory models were developed mostly from atmospheric chemistry point of view and little comprehensive data exist on the processes related to GHG emissions and their production in the agricultural soils under ecological conditions of Central Europe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contribution of Agricultural Field Production to Emission of Greenhouse Gases (Ghg)

Bálint¹,

Hoffmann²,

Anton³

et al. 2013

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

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According to global inventories the agricultural field production contributes in a significant measure to increase of concentration of greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4) in the atmosphere, however their estimated data of emissions of soil origin differ significantly. Particularly estimates on nitrogen-oxides emissions show a great temporal and spatial variability while their formations in microbial processes are strongly influenced by biogeochemical and physical properties of the soil (eg microbial species, soil texture, soil water, pH, redox-potential and nutrient status) and land use management through the impact of the application of natural and synthetic fertilisers, tillage, irrigation, compaction, planting and harvesting. The different monitoring systems and inventory models were developed mostly from atmospheric chemistry point of view and little comprehensive data exist on the processes related to GHG emissions and their productions in agricultural soils under ecological conditions of Central Europe. This paper presents the new results of a project aimed elaboration of an experimental system suitable for studying relationships between the production and emission of greenhouse gases and plant nutrition supply in agricultural soils under Hungarian ecological conditions. The system was based on a long-term fertilisation field experiment. Mesocosm size pot experiments were conducted with soils originating from differently treated plots. The production of CO2 and N2O was followed during the vegetation period in gas traps built in 20 cm depth. Undisturbed soil columns were prepared from the untreated side parcels of the field experiment and the production of CO2 and N2O was studied at 20, 40 and 60 cm depth. A series of laboratory microcosm experiments were performed to clarify the microbial and environmental effects influencing the gas production in soils. The CO2 and N2O were determined by gas chromatography. The NOx was detected by chemiluminescence method in headspace of microcosms. In the mesocosm and soil columns experiments influence of plant nutrition methods and environmental factors was successfully clarified on seasonal dynamics and depth profile on CO2 and N2O productions. The database developed is suitable for estimating CO2 and N2O emissions from agricultural soils.

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Advancing agricultural greenhouse gas quantification ^*

Abstract: We dedicate this special issue to the memory of Daniel Martino, a generous leader in greenhouse gas quantification and accounting from agriculture, land-use change, and forestry.

Cited by 40 publications

References 4 publications

Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

Importance of non-CO₂emissions in carbon management

Contribution of Agricultural Field Production to Emission of Greenhouse Gases (Ghg)

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Advancing agricultural greenhouse gas quantification *

Abstract: We dedicate this special issue to the memory of Daniel Martino, a generous leader in greenhouse gas quantification and accounting from agriculture, land-use change, and forestry.

Cited by 40 publications

References 4 publications

Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

Enteric Methane Emissions Estimate for Livestock in South Africa for 1990–2014

Importance of non-CO2emissions in carbon management

Contribution of Agricultural Field Production to Emission of Greenhouse Gases (Ghg)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Advancing agricultural greenhouse gas quantification ^*

Importance of non-CO₂emissions in carbon management