Easy targets

High-income nations across the world appear focused on agriculture as the sector to enforce emissions cut for meeting national climate goals

- SHAGUN

IRELAND IS in the throes of a nationwide farmer protest. On May 29, a media report revealed that the government was deliberating plans to cull some 200,000 cows over the course of three years, at an yearly cost of €200 million (around US $211.5 million) to be paid to farmers as compensation, for meeting the country's climate emission goals. The news triggered large-scale farmer protests, which continued till September, despite a government clarification that the numbers were just an estimate in a modelling paper and not a final plan ready for implementation.

High-income nations across the world seem to have chosen agriculture as a priority sector to enforce emissions cut for meeting their national climate targets. Since last year, at least half a dozen countries have taken, or are planning to take, steps to curb farm sector emissions. These include the Netherlands, New Zealand and Canada (see 'Farm focus' on p22).

Methane (from livestock belching, flatulence and dung) and nitrous oxide (from nitrogen fertilisers) are the two main greenhouse gases (GHGS) from the agriculture sector. Emissions and storage from soil carbon (which is counted in land use) and farm energy use are not counted as part of agricultural emissions. As per US Environmental Protection Agency, methane and nitrous oxide account for 16 per cent and 6 per cent of global GHGS.