An overview of the revised 1996 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventory methodology for nitrous oxide from agriculture (original) (raw)
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Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst, 1998
In 1995 a working group was assembled at the request of OECD/IPCC/IEA to revise the methodology for N 2 O from agriculture for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Methodology. The basics of the methodology developed to calculate annual country level nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from agricultural soils is presented herein. Three sources of N 2 O are distinguished in the new methodology: (i) direct emissions from agricultural soils, (ii) emissions from animal production, and (iii) N 2 O emissions indirectly induced by agricultural activities. The methodology is a simple approach which requires only input data that are available from FAO databases. The methodology attempts to relate N 2 O emissions to the agricultural nitrogen (N) cycle and to systems into which N is transported once it leaves agricultural systems. These estimates are made with the realization that increased utilization of crop nutrients, including N, will be required to meet rapidly growing needs for food and fiber production in our immediate future. Anthropogenic N input into agricultural systems include N from synthetic fertilizer, animal wastes, increased biological N-fixation, cultivation of mineral and organic soils through enhanced organic matter mineralization, and mineralization of crop residue returned to the field. Nitrous oxide may be emitted directly to the atmosphere in agricultural fields, animal confinements or pastoral systems or be transported from agricultural systems into ground and surface waters through surface runoff. Nitrate leaching and runoff and food consumption by humans and introduction into sewage systems transport the N ultimately into surface water (rivers and oceans) where additional N 2 O is produced. Ammonia and oxides of N (NO x) are also emitted from agricultural systems and may be transported off-site and serve to fertilize other systems which leads to enhanced production of N 2 O. Eventually, all N that moves through the soil system will be either terminally sequestered in buried sediments or denitrified in aquatic systems. We estimated global N 2 ON emissions for the year 1989, using midpoint emission factors from our methodology and the FAO data for 1989. Direct emissions from agricultural soils totaled 2.1 Tg N, direct emissions from animal production totaled 2.1 Tg N and indirect emissions resulting from agricultural N input into the atmosphere and aquatic systems totaled 2.1 Tg N 2 ON for an annual total of 6.3 Tg N 2 ON. The N 2 O input to the atmosphere from agricultural production as a whole has apparently been previously underestimated. These new estimates suggest that the missing N 2 O sources discussed in earlier IPCC reports is likely a biogenic (agricultural) one.
Closing the global N 2 O budget: nitrous oxide emissions through the agricultural nitrogen cycle
Nutrient cycling in …, 1998
In 1995 a working group was assembled at the request of OECD/IPCC/IEA to revise the methodology for N 2 O from agriculture for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Methodology. The basics of the methodology developed to calculate annual country level nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from agricultural soils is presented herein. Three sources of N 2 O are distinguished in the new methodology: (i) direct emissions from agricultural soils, (ii) emissions from animal production, and (iii) N 2 O emissions indirectly induced by agricultural activities. The methodology is a simple approach which requires only input data that are available from FAO databases. The methodology attempts to relate N 2 O emissions to the agricultural nitrogen (N) cycle and to systems into which N is transported once it leaves agricultural systems. These estimates are made with the realization that increased utilization of crop nutrients, including N, will be required to meet rapidly growing needs for food and fiber production in our immediate future. Anthropogenic N input into agricultural systems include N from synthetic fertilizer, animal wastes, increased biological N-fixation, cultivation of mineral and organic soils through enhanced organic matter mineralization, and mineralization of crop residue returned to the field. Nitrous oxide may be emitted directly to the atmosphere in agricultural fields, animal confinements or pastoral systems or be transported from agricultural systems into ground and surface waters through surface runoff. Nitrate leaching and runoff and food consumption by humans and introduction into sewage systems transport the N ultimately into surface water (rivers and oceans) where additional N 2 O is produced. Ammonia and oxides of N (NO x) are also emitted from agricultural systems and may be transported off-site and serve to fertilize other systems which leads to enhanced production of N 2 O. Eventually, all N that moves through the soil system will be either terminally sequestered in buried sediments or denitrified in aquatic systems. We estimated global N 2 ON emissions for the year 1989, using midpoint emission factors from our methodology and the FAO data for 1989. Direct emissions from agricultural soils totaled 2.1 Tg N, direct emissions from animal production totaled 2.1 Tg N and indirect emissions resulting from agricultural N input into the atmosphere and aquatic systems totaled 2.1 Tg N 2 ON for an annual total of 6.3 Tg N 2 ON. The N 2 O input to the atmosphere from agricultural production as a whole has apparently been previously underestimated. These new estimates suggest that the missing N 2 O sources discussed in earlier IPCC reports is likely a biogenic (agricultural) one.
An international comparison of agricultural nitrous oxide emissions
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016
Agriculture is a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 14e17% of global anthropogenic emissions. Among others, nitrous oxide emissions from synthetic fertilisers, manure applications and crop residues left on farms account for over 40% of total agricultural emissions. This research aims to analyse trends and magnitudes of nitrous oxide emissions from these three sources over a 52 year period (1961e2012) in seven major crop producing countries including: (1) three developed countries (Australia, Canada and USA); and (2) four developing countries (Argentina, Brazil, China and India). Annual emissions and other required data for the study were collected from Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Bank sources. Among these seven countries, Australia appears to perform well in terms of maintaining relatively lower total emissions from the three sources and increasing crop production indices. China and India ranked well in terms of crop production indices but had higher emissions. The reasons why such differences between the countries exist and what lessons other countries can learn from the Australian experience are discussed. This is critical in a low-carbon economy where an environmentally-friendly agricultural production system is rewarded.
Direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils, 1990-2003
… document on the …, 2007
Direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils, 1990-2003 Background document on the calculation method for the Dutch National Inventory Report Since 2005 the Dutch method to calculate the nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils has fully complied with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Good Practice Guidelines. In order to meet the commitments of the Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, nitrous oxide emissions have to be reported annually in the Dutch National Inventory Report (NIR). Countries are encouraged to use country-specific data rather than the default values provided by the IPCC. This report describes the calculation schemes and data sources used for nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils in the Netherlands. The nitrous oxide emissions, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, occur due to nitrification and denitrification processes. They include direct emissions from agricultural soils due to the application of animal manure and fertilizer nitrogen and the manure production in the meadow. Also included are indirect emissions resulting from the subsequent leaching of nitrate to ground water and surface waters, and from deposition of ammonia that had volatilized as a result of agricultural activities. Before 2005 indirect emissions in the Netherlands were calculated using a method that did not compare well with IPCC definitions and categories. The elaborate explanation here should facilitate reviewing by experts. Finally, the report also presents an overview of the nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils and the underlying data used in the 1990-2003 period.
Nitrous oxide, climate change and agriculture
Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 298 times that of carbon dioxide. It is also responsible for the destruction of stratospheric ozone. Concentrations of nitrous oxide have shown continuous growth in the atmosphere over the past century, and nitrogen (N) fertilizers and manures applied to agricultural soils are the main anthropogenic source. Precise measurements of emissions from soils are difficult to undertake, as a consequence of high levels of spatial and temporal variability. For this reason, national reports on emissions are based largely on an assumption that a fixed fraction of N is released from N use in agriculture. Attempts to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, resulting from the use of N fertilizer, conflict with the need to maintain or increase food production and to support a growing world population. There is a large regional variation in the growth of emissions, with Asia contributing to the largest growth rates. More efficient management of N fertilizer and improved soil management (particularly in Asia) offer the opportunity to reduce emissions whilst maintaining food production.
Greenhouse Gases - Emission, Measurement and Management, 2012
Greenhouse Gases-Emission, Measurement and Management 4 inputs from a variety of sources including synthetic chemical fertilizers, predominantly urea which accounts for more than 50% of the total world N consumption, organic wastes (farm dairy effluent, animal excreta, plant residues and sewage sludge) and atmosphere (biological fixation of atmospheric N through symbiotic and non-symbiotic microorganisms) to sustain productivity. A detailed description of N cycling in agricultural ecosystems is beyond the scope of this chapter and for details on N transformations, N dynamics, sources of N inputs, and losses, the readers are referred to research papers, articles and review written by these authors (
Nitrous Oxide Emissions from New Zealand Agriculture – key Sources and Mitigation Strategies
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 2005
In most countries, nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions typically contribute less than 10% of the CO 2 equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In New Zealand, however, this gas contributes 17% of the nation's total GHG emissions due to the dominance of the agricultural sector. New Zealand's target under the Kyoto Protocol is to reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels. Currently total GHG emissions are 17% above 1990 levels. The single largest source of N 2 O emission in New Zealand is animal excreta deposited during grazing (80% of agricultural N 2 O emissions), while N fertilizer use currently contributes only 14% of agricultural emissions. Nitrogen fertilizer use has, however, increased 4-fold since 1990. Mitigation strategies for reducing N 2 O emissions in New Zealand focus on (i) reducing the amount of N excreted to pasture, e.g. through diet manipulation; (ii) increasing the N use efficiency of excreta or fertilizer, e.g. through grazing management or use of nitrification inhibitors; or (iii) avoiding soil conditions that favour denitrification e.g. improving drainage and reducing soil compaction. Current estimates suggest that, if fully implemented, these individual measures can reduce agricultural N 2 O emissions by 7-20%. The highest reduction potentials are obtained from measures that reduce the amount of excreta N, or increase the N use efficiency of excreta or fertilizer. However, New Zealand's currently used N 2 O inventory methodology will require refinement to ensure that a reduction in N 2 O emissions achieved through implementation of any of these mitigation strategies can be fully accounted for. Furthermore, as many of these mitigation strategies also affect other greenhouse gas emissions or other environmental losses, it is crucial that both the economic and total environmental impacts of N 2 O mitigation strategies are evaluated at a farm system's level.