Greenhouse gas and ammonia emission mitigation priorities for UK policy targets

Abstract

Agriculture is essential for providing food and maintaining food security while concurrently delivering multiple other ecosystem services. However, agricultural systems are generally a net source of greenhouse gases and ammonia. They, therefore, need to substantively contribute to climate change mitigation and net zero ambitions. It is widely acknowledged that there is a need to further reduce and mitigate emissions across sectors, including agriculture to address the climate emergency and emissions gap. This discussion paper outlines a collation of opinions from a range of experts within agricultural research and advisory roles following a greenhouse gas and ammonia emission mitigation workshop held in the UK in March 2022. The meeting identified the top mitigation priorities within the UK’s agricultural sector to achieve reductions in greenhouse gases and ammonia that are compatible with policy targets. In addition, experts provided an overview of what they believe are the key knowledge gaps, future opportunities and co-benefits to mitigation practices as well as indicating the potential barriers to uptake for mitigation scenarios discussed.

Description

Publication history: Accepted - 16 March 2023; Published online - 6th May 2023.

Keywords

agriculture, ammonia, greenhouse gas, mitigation, net zero

Citation

Buckingham, S., Topp, C., Smith, P., Eory, V., Chadwick, D., Baxter, C., Cloy, J., Connolly, S., Cooledge, E., Cowan, N., Drewer, J., Duffy, C., Fox, N., Jebari, A., Jenkins, B., Krol, D., Marsden, K., Mcauliffe, G., Morrison, S., O'Flaherty, V., Ramsey, R., Richards, K.,G Roehe, R., Smith, J., Smith, K., Takahashi, T., Thorman, R.E., Williams, J., Wiltshire, J., Rees, R. (2023). ‘Greenhouse gas and ammonia emission mitigation priorities for UK policy targets’. Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering. Higher Education Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.15302/j-fase-2023495.

DOI

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