Ministry of Agriculture
Climate Action
WHAT
This section explains the sources of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and how they are measured within the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI).
CONTENTS
Agricultural GHG Emissions are Complex
Local governments have a role to play in assisting the agriculture sector with GHG emission reduction. However, agricultural GHG emissions are difficult to capture within emissions inventories because wide-ranging agricultural practices and the variability of soil, climate and land cover at each farm make accurate measurement challenging.
The BC Provincial GHG Inventory Report estimates that agriculture was directly responsible for about 3.5% of BC’s total GHG emissions in 2007. However, the only categories included in the agricultural portion of the inventory are :
- enteric fermentation or ruminant digestion,
- manure management, and
- agricultural soils (e.g., soil disturbance and
fertilizer use).
Emissions from on-farm energy consumption, food processing, and food transportation are incorporated into other parts of the provincial inventory.
What is counted for agriculture through CEEI ?
Because of limited data availability, agricultural emissions in the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI) only include methane from livestock enteric fermentation (digestion) by regional district. Reliable data is not yet available for electoral areas, municipalities, or cities.
Because the agricultural inventory is limited, it is only included as an 'information' item in the 2007 CEEI reports. It is not included in the total emissions for the community.
What is not counted for agriculture through CEEI ?
International standards guide what is included in the CEEI reports. The agriculture category doesn't include all GHG emissions resulting from agricultural operations in your area. For example, emissions from the use of diesel in trucks that transport agricultural products are included in 'transportation.' Emissions from water and space heaters are included in 'buildings.'
Emissions from diesel used in farm tractors or portable pumps are not included in the CEEI because there is no reliable 'off-road' data available across the province.
Methane emissions from agricultural manure management and storage and methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils are not included in the CEEI because sufficiently accurate data is not available for local areas in BC.
For a full explanation of the methods and limitations of the agricultural GHG inventory see the 'Agriculture Sector' section in the forthcoming 2007 CEEI Technical Methods and Guidance document.
It will be on the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI) website at :
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cas/mitigation/ceei/index.html
Agriculture and Climate Change
Regardless of the complexity of measuring agricultural emissions, agriculture has clear opportunities for emission reductions. There are three primary atmospheric GHGs produced by agricultural activities including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Notably, the agriculture sector produces a high proportion of methane and nitrous oxide, GHGs with high Global Warming Potential.
Examples of agricultural practices that contribute to GHG emissions include the following:
- The combustion of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas) for heat production, transportation and the propulsion of farm equipment contribute to a net increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
- Soil organic matter degradation, which is accelerated by various farm practices such as tillage, contributes to a net increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
- Mineral fertilizer use, which converts some nitrogen from a form that does not impact GHG emissions to N2O, contributes to a net increase in atmospheric N2O concentrations.
- Clearing land for crop production, which releases CO2 that was previously bound in soil organic matter and biomass such as trees and grasslands, contributes to a net increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
- Enteric fermentation and manure production, which convert carbon in feed crops to CH4, contribute to a net increase in atmospheric CH4 concentrations.
