scholarly journals The Carbon Footprints of Beef and Lamb: A Lifecycle Approach to Measuring the Sustainability of New Zealand's Primary Produce

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Amelie Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Food Miles ◽  
On Farm

<p>Carbon footprints show the carbon impacts of food products. They are argued here to reflect these impacts more accurately than 'food miles'. New Zealand research has shown that our major primary sectors are more efficient in terms of carbon dioxide emissions than their British equivalents over the farming and shipping stages of the lifecycle. However, little research has examined other stages, such as road and rail freight and meat processing within New Zealand. Furthermore, the agro-food sector only has partial knowledge about its greenhouse gas  GHG) emissions from 'farm gate to plate' and is not yet fully prepared to implement GHG mitigation strategies. The aims of this study are to 1) calculate the carbon footprints of beef and lamb produced and consumed in New Zealand using a lifecycle approach (including all GHGs), and 2) evaluate, through key stakeholder interviews, the applicability of the carbon footprint concept to New Zealand for addressing consumer environmental concerns. The calculations show that the GHG footprints (all GHGs) of beef and lamb are comprised, for the most part, of on-farm methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Domestic and international freight contribute less than 5% to these footprints, and data from a case study of two meat processing plants suggest that meat processing emissions contributes even less than freight emissions. When leaving aside on-farm methane and nitrous oxide emissions, meat processing and freight contribute less than half to the carbon dioxide (CO2) footprints. Interviews conducted for this study show that key stakeholder attitudes to these issues are varied. Responses from government representatives centred on the need to support the agro-food sector in responding to foreign market demands; the response from industry was mixed but suggests that it is prepared to account for its GHG emissions, showing a preference for carbon footprints over food miles. Environmental NGOs warned that there are risks to New Zealand if it continues to rely on a 'clean green' image mostly due to its natural comparative advantage, and fails to account for its emissions.</p>

scholarly journals The Carbon Footprints of Beef and Lamb: A Lifecycle Approach to Measuring the Sustainability of New Zealand's Primary Produce

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Amelie Goldberg
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Meat Processing ◽  
Food Sector ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Food Miles ◽  
On Farm

<p>Carbon footprints show the carbon impacts of food products. They are argued here to reflect these impacts more accurately than 'food miles'. New Zealand research has shown that our major primary sectors are more efficient in terms of carbon dioxide emissions than their British equivalents over the farming and shipping stages of the lifecycle. However, little research has examined other stages, such as road and rail freight and meat processing within New Zealand. Furthermore, the agro-food sector only has partial knowledge about its greenhouse gas  GHG) emissions from 'farm gate to plate' and is not yet fully prepared to implement GHG mitigation strategies. The aims of this study are to 1) calculate the carbon footprints of beef and lamb produced and consumed in New Zealand using a lifecycle approach (including all GHGs), and 2) evaluate, through key stakeholder interviews, the applicability of the carbon footprint concept to New Zealand for addressing consumer environmental concerns. The calculations show that the GHG footprints (all GHGs) of beef and lamb are comprised, for the most part, of on-farm methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Domestic and international freight contribute less than 5% to these footprints, and data from a case study of two meat processing plants suggest that meat processing emissions contributes even less than freight emissions. When leaving aside on-farm methane and nitrous oxide emissions, meat processing and freight contribute less than half to the carbon dioxide (CO2) footprints. Interviews conducted for this study show that key stakeholder attitudes to these issues are varied. Responses from government representatives centred on the need to support the agro-food sector in responding to foreign market demands; the response from industry was mixed but suggests that it is prepared to account for its GHG emissions, showing a preference for carbon footprints over food miles. Environmental NGOs warned that there are risks to New Zealand if it continues to rely on a 'clean green' image mostly due to its natural comparative advantage, and fails to account for its emissions.</p>

scholarly journals Greenhouse gas emissions from the water–air interface of a grassland river: a case study of the Xilin River

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Hao ◽  
Yu Ruihong ◽  
Zhang Zhuangzhuang ◽  
Qi Zhen ◽  
Lu Xixi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Sand Land ◽  
Very High

AbstractGreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rivers and lakes have been shown to significantly contribute to global carbon and nitrogen cycling. In spatiotemporal-variable and human-impacted rivers in the grassland region, simultaneous carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions and their relationships under the different land use types are poorly documented. This research estimated greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, N2O) emissions in the Xilin River of Inner Mongolia of China using direct measurements from 18 field campaigns under seven land use type (such as swamp, sand land, grassland, pond, reservoir, lake, waste water) conducted in 2018. The results showed that CO2 emissions were higher in June and August, mainly affected by pH and DO. Emissions of CH4 and N2O were higher in October, which were influenced by TN and TP. According to global warming potential, CO2 emissions accounted for 63.35% of the three GHG emissions, and CH4 and N2O emissions accounted for 35.98% and 0.66% in the Xilin river, respectively. Under the influence of different degrees of human-impact, the amount of CO2 emissions in the sand land type was very high, however, CH4 emissions and N2O emissions were very high in the artificial pond and the wastewater, respectively. For natural river, the greenhouse gas emissions from the reservoir and sand land were both low. The Xilin river was observed to be a source of carbon dioxide and methane, and the lake was a sink for nitrous oxide.

scholarly journals Evaluation of two potential on-farm measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from an average dairy farm on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand

2002 ◽  
pp. 159-165
Author(s):  
C.A.M. De Klein ◽  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
H. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
The West ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
On Farm

Agriculture contributes about 60% of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions. Management practices for reducing these emissions will be required to meet our future international commitments. This paper presents estimates of two practical on-farm measures for reducing total greenhouse gas emissions from an average dairy farm on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand: 1) the incorporation of cereal silage into the diet, and 2) the strategic use of a stand-off pad in winter. Total calculated greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by about 14% if fertiliser N-boosted pasture was replaced with bought-in cereal silage grown off-farm. The estimated reduction in emissions was due to reductions in nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions, whereas methane emissions were not significantly affected by this management practice. Reduced methane emissions required an increase in per animal production and a corresponding decrease in stocking rate. The use of a stand-off pad during winter did not significantly affect total greenhouse gas emissions using current inventory calculations. However, recent research suggests that it may reduce emissions by 3 to 8%, when accounting for the seasonal variation in N2O emissions and reduced fertiliser N requirements due to reduced pasture damage. A preliminary assessment of the economic implications of the cereal silage option suggested the cost of using cereal silage is likely to be higher than any savings that could be accrued from carbon credits obtained from reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the costs associated with building and using a stand-off pad are likely to be off-set against a potential increase in pasture production, and carbon credits obtained from a reduction in greenhouse gas emission would represent a net cost saving. Keywords: carbon dioxide, cereal silage, dairying, methane, mitigation options, nitrous oxide, stand-off pad

Potential solutions to the major greenhouse-gas issues facing Australasian dairy farming

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Eckard ◽  
H. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Dairy Industry ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
On Farm

The Australasian dairy industry is facing the dual challenges of increasing productivity, while also reducing its emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHG) methane and nitrous oxide. Following the COP21 Paris Agreement, all sectors of the economy will be expected to contribute to GHG abatement. Enteric methane is the major source of GHG emissions from dairy production systems (&gt;70%), followed by nitrous oxide (13%) and methane (12%) from animal waste, with nitrogen (N)-fertiliser use contributing ~3.5% of total on-farm non-carbon dioxide equivalent (non-CO2e) emissions. Research on reducing methane emissions from dairy cattle has focussed on feeding dietary supplements (e.g. tannins, dietary oils and wheat), rumen modification (e.g. vaccine, inhibitors), breeding and animal management. Research on reducing nitrous oxide emissions has focussed on improving N fertiliser efficiency and reducing urinary N loss. Profitable options for significant abatement on farm are still limited, with the industry focusing instead on improving production efficiency, while reducing emission intensity (t CO2e/t product). Absolute emission reduction will become an imperative as the world moves towards carbon neutrality by 2050 and, thus, a priority for research. However, even with implementation of best-practice abatement, it is likely that some residual emissions will remain in the foreseeable future. The soil organic carbon content of dairy soils under well fertilised, high-rainfall or irrigated permanent pastures are already high, therefore limiting the potential for further soil carbon sequestration as an offset against these residual emissions. The Australasian dairy industry will, therefore, also need to consider how these residual emissions will be offset through carbon sequestration mainly in trees and, to a more limited extent, increasing soil organic carbon.

Effects of crop residue on carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions on cultivated peat soils

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Musarika ◽  
Davey Jones ◽  
Dave Chadwick ◽  
Niall McNamara ◽  
Chris Evans
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Crop Residue ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Peat Soils ◽  
Mitigation Option ◽  
Fresh Organic Matter ◽  
Previous Season

&lt;p&gt;Peatlands cover three percent of the global land surface. However, they store significant amounts of carbon (C), approximately 30%. Peatlands are drained to support agricultural production. It&amp;#8217;s estimated that agriculture exploits approximately 20% of peatlands worldwide. The exploited peatlands are significant emitters of carbon dioxide (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;) and nitrous oxide (N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O). In Europe, agriculture is the second largest contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In addition to GHG emissions, we are fast losing productive peatlands; it&amp;#8217;s estimated by 2050, a third of productive peatlands will be lost. Loss of productive peatlands will affect productivity and food security.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To prolong use of peatlands, ploughing in of crop residue, either from the previous season or specially grown crop, is often considered a mitigation option. Nevertheless, there is concern that fresh organic matter (FOM) might accelerate decomposition of existing organic. This study assesses effects of FOM on the emissions of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, methane (CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) and N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O in a cultivated peatland. A mesocosm experiment was carried out using intact cores with added FOM and manipulated water table (WT), -20 and -50 cm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The results show there is an effect of both WT and FOM on emissions. CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, CH&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, and N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O emissions differ in the different WT treatments. The -20 cm cores produced more methane than the -50 cm.&amp;#160; It is evident that leaving crop residue and then ploughing it in does not have the desired effect as it led to increased emissions.&lt;/p&gt;

Tidal rewetting in salt marshes triggers pulses of nitrous oxide emissions but slows carbon dioxide emission

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 108197
Author(s):  
Hollie E. Emery ◽  
John H. Angell ◽  
Akaash Tawade ◽  
Robinson W. Fulweiler
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emission ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions

scholarly journals The Carbon Footprint of Energy Consumption in Pastoral and Barn Dairy Farming Systems: A Case Study from Canterbury, New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 4809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafiz Muhammad Abrar Ilyas ◽  
Majeed Safa ◽  
Alison Bailey ◽  
Sara Rauf ◽  
Marvin Pangborn
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Energy Inputs ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Feed Supplements ◽  
Dairy Systems ◽  
Milk Solids ◽  
On Farm

Dairy farming is constantly evolving to more intensive systems of management, which involve more consumption of energy inputs. The consumption of these energy inputs in dairy farming contributes to climate change both with on-farm emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels, and by off-farm emissions due to production of farm inputs (such as fertilizer, feed supplements). The main purpose of this research study was to evaluate energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, the carbon footprint, of pastoral and barn dairy systems located in Canterbury, New Zealand. The carbon footprints were estimated based on direct and indirect energy sources. The study results showed that, on average, the carbon footprints of pastoral and barn dairy systems were 2857 kgCO2 ha−1 and 3379 kgCO2 ha−1, respectively. For the production of one tonne of milk solids, the carbon footprint was 1920 kgCO2 tMS−1 and 2129 kgCO2 tMS−1, respectively. The carbon emission difference between the two systems indicates that the barn system has 18% and 11% higher carbon footprint than the pastoral system, both per hectare of farm area and per tonne of milk solids, respectively. The greater carbon footprint of the barn system was due to more use of imported feed supplements, machinery usage and fossil fuel (diesel and petrol) consumption for on-farm activities.

Effects of strategic tillage on short-term erosion, nutrient loss in runoff and greenhouse gas emissions

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Melland ◽  
D. L. Antille ◽  
Y. P. Dang
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Heavy Rainfall ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nutrient Loss ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Occasional strategic tillage (ST) of long-term no-tillage (NT) soil to help control weeds may increase the risk of water, erosion and nutrient losses in runoff and of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared with NT soil. The present study examined the short-term effect of ST on runoff and GHG emissions in NT soils under controlled-traffic farming regimes. A rainfall simulator was used to generate runoff from heavy rainfall (70mmh–1) on small plots of NT and ST on a Vertosol, Dermosol and Sodosol. Nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes from the Vertosol and Sodosol were measured before and after the rain using passive chambers. On the Sodosol and Dermosol there was 30% and 70% more runoff, respectively, from ST plots than from NT plots, however, volumes were similar between tillage treatments on the Vertosol. Erosion was highest after ST on the Sodosol (8.3tha–1 suspended sediment) and there were no treatment differences on the other soils. Total nitrogen (N) loads in runoff followed a similar pattern, with 10.2kgha–1 in runoff from the ST treatment on the Sodosol. Total phosphorus loads were higher after ST than NT on both the Sodosol (3.1 and 0.9kgha–1, respectively) and the Dermosol (1.0 and 0.3kgha–1, respectively). Dissolved nutrient forms comprised less than 13% of total losses. Nitrous oxide emissions were low from both NT and ST in these low-input systems. However, ST decreased CH4 absorption from both soils and almost doubled CO2 emissions from the Sodosol. Strategic tillage may increase the susceptibility of Sodosols and Dermosols to water, sediment and nutrient losses in runoff after heavy rainfall. The trade-offs between weed control, erosion and GHG emissions should be considered as part of any tillage strategy.

scholarly journals Pineapple Residue Ash Reduces Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Pineapple Cultivation on Tropical Peat Soils at Saratok, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1014
Author(s):  
Liza Nuriati Lim Kim Choo ◽  
Osumanu Haruna Ahmed ◽  
Nik Muhamad Nik Majid ◽  
Zakry Fitri Abd Aziz
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Peat Soils ◽  
Closed Chamber ◽  
Npk Fertilizers ◽  
Npk Fertilizer ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Burning pineapple residues on peat soils before pineapple replanting raises concerns on hazards of peat fires. A study was conducted to determine whether ash produced from pineapple residues could be used to minimize carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in cultivated tropical peatlands. The effects of pineapple residue ash fertilization on CO2 and N2O emissions from a peat soil grown with pineapple were determined using closed chamber method with the following treatments: (i) 25, 50, 70, and 100% of the suggested rate of pineapple residue ash + NPK fertilizer, (ii) NPK fertilizer, and (iii) peat soil only. Soils treated with pineapple residue ash (25%) decreased CO2 and N2O emissions relative to soils without ash due to adsorption of organic compounds, ammonium, and nitrate ions onto the charged surface of ash through hydrogen bonding. The ability of the ash to maintain higher soil pH during pineapple growth primarily contributed to low CO2 and N2O emissions. Co-application of pineapple residue ash and compound NPK fertilizer also improves soil ammonium and nitrate availability, and fruit quality of pineapples. Compound NPK fertilizers can be amended with pineapple residue ash to minimize CO2 and N2O emissions without reducing peat soil and pineapple productivity.

scholarly journals Comment on "Soil CO<sub>2</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes from an afforested lowland raised peat bog in Scotland: implications for drainage and restoration" by Yamulki et al. (2013)

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 7623-7630 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. E. Artz ◽  
S. J. Chapman ◽  
M. Saunders ◽  
C. D. Evans ◽  
R. B. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Peat Bog ◽  
Raised Bog ◽  
Land Use Conversion ◽  
Peatland Restoration ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalents ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Chamber Measurements

Abstract. Yamulki and co-authors address in their recent publication the important issue of net emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from peatlands where land use conversion has taken place. In their case, they studied conversion to forestry versus peatland restoration after a first rotation of plantation forestry. They monitored soil-derived fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) using opaque chamber measurements on planted and unplanted control treatments (with or without drainage), and an unplanted plot within a restored (felled) block on former lowland raised bog. They propose that their measurements of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at these sites suggest that the total net GHG emissions, in 100 yr carbon dioxide equivalents, of the restored peat bog would be higher than that of the peat bog with trees. We believe there are a number of issues with the measurement, calculation and comparison of these greenhouse budgets that may invalidate this conclusion.

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