Evaluation of the livestock sector's contribution to the EU greenhouse gas emissions (GGELS)

The FAO report "Livestock long shadow: environmental issues and options" (2006) claims that livestock production is a major contributor to the world's environmental problems, contributing about 18% to global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although highly variable across the world. FAO (2010) asserts that the global dairy sector contributes with 3.0%-5.1% to total anthropogenic GHG emissions. The FAO studies are based on a food-chain approach, bringing into light also contributions normally ‘hidden’ in other sectors when the internationally agreed methodology of GHG emissions accounting within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is used. The objective of the GGELS project was to provide an estimate of the net emissions of GHGs and ammonia (NH3) from livestock sector in the EU-27 according to animal species, animal products and livestock systems following a food chain approach. The system boundaries of this project are schematically shown in Figure ES1. Considered are all on-farm emissions related to livestock rearing and the production of feed, as well as emissions caused by providing input of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, energy, and land for the production of feed. While the focus is on emissions from livestock production in Europe, crop production is assessed as far as used to feed the animals, independently where the crop was produced. Emissions caused by feed transport to the European farm as well as emissions from processing are also included. Emissions from livestock production are estimated for EU-27 Member States with a spatial detail of NUTS 2 regions.