Greenhouse gas emissions by Agriculture and horticulture in the Netherlands, 1980-2002
The greenhouse gas emissions from Agriculture and horticulture have fallen since 1990, mainly due to the sharp fall in methane emissions.
| 1980 | 1990 | 1995 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002* | ||
| billion kg CO2 equivalents 1) | ||||||||
| Total | 24.9 | 25.9 | 26.5 | 23.9 | 23.0 | 22.5 | 21.9 | |
| of which | carbon dioxide 2) | 7.2 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.8 |
| methane | 10.8 | 10.7 | 10.1 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.2 | |
| nitrous oxide | 6.9 | 6.8 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.8 | |
| billion kg | ||||||||
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) 2) | 7.2 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.8 | |
| million kg | ||||||||
| Methane (CH4) 3) | 512 | 505 | 477 | 425 | 411 | 410 | 389 | |
| among which | Fermentation | 416 | 402 | 377 | 334 | 319 | 322 | 306 |
| Manure storage | 96 | 103 | 100 | 91 | 91 | 88 | 83 | |
| Nitrous oxide | ||||||||
| (N2O) 4) | 22.3 | 22.0 | 26.9 | 25.2 | 23.2 | 22.6 | 22.0 | |
| among which | stables and manure depots | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| pasturage | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | |
| manure application | 5.0 | 5.6 | 10.9 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 8.9 | |
| fertiliser use | 8.2 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 6.5 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
| Source: CCDM (2003). | RIVM/EDC/Nov03 | |||||||
| 1) A CO2 equivalent is a measure of the potential greenhouse effects of the different substances: 1 gram CO2 = 1 gram CO2 equivalent. 1 gram CH4 = 21 grams CO2 equivalent and 1 gram N2O = 310 grams CO2 equivalent. 2) Current emissions, see Carbon dioxide emissions explained. 3) Not including methane emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels 4) Including background emissions and emissions from nitrogen fixing by papilionaceous plants. * Provisional figures | ||||||||
Developments in greenhouse gases in the Agriculture and horticulture sector
Total greenhouse gas emissions from Agriculture and horticulture have fallen since 1990. This is mainly a result of the sharper falls in methane emissions. Methane (CH4) is mainly released as a digestive gas by ruminants. This emission source is steadily declining due to the shrinking of the dairy livestock herd following the introduction of milk quotas (Beschikking superheffing, 1984).
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is only emitted directly to the air from stables and manure depots. Pasturage and the application of manure and fertilisers cause emissions of N2O from the soil to the air. In particular, the injection of manure since the early 1990s has generated an increase in N2O emissions from the soil.
Over 2% of CO2 emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels in horticulture under glass.
