Credit: Annie Spratt/Unsplash
Credit: Annie Spratt/Unsplash

One-third of nitrogen emissions come from livestock sector

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Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.

The livestock sector emits about a third of current human-caused nitrogen emissions each year, according to an international study looking at 275 countries' emissions. Supply chains of grazing cattle (dairy and beef) and pigs each account for about 16 per cent of emissions, with most coming from South Asia. In another paper published in Nature Sustainability, researchers in the USA analysed more than 2,700 policies across 186 countries and suggest that two-thirds of agricultural policies (ranging from broad sectoral programmes to nitrogen-specific measures) incentivise nitrogen use, which they say demonstrates the prioritisation of food production over environmental concerns.

Journal/conference: Nature Food and Nature Sustainability

Link to research (DOI): 10.1038/s43016-020-0113-y

Organisation/s: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Funder: The livestock work was supported by the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Scheme (ref. 2012230), the Livestock Environmental Assessment Performance (LEAP) Partnership (GCP/GLO/369/ MUL) and the Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch (AGAL) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This work was supported in part through the project ‘Supporting the Implementation of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture Roadmap’ (GCP/GLO/998/GER) supported by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) of Germany. The policy paper acknowledges funding from the International Nitrogen Management System, which is itself funded by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Environment Programme.

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  • Springer Nature
    Web page
    Livestock emissions paper
  • Springer Nature
    Web page
    Policy paper

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