Fertilizers and Climate Change. Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Reducing Emissions

Download Paper

Only in electronic version

Publisher(s): IFA, Paris, France, July 2009

Format(s): PDF

Number of pages: 4

Language(s) : 

ENGLISH

FERTILIZERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Reducing Emissions

The primary objective of agriculture is to feed the world. It has been estimated that almost half the people on the Earth (around 48%) are currently fed as a result of manufactured nitrogen fertilizer use (Erisman et al. 2008). Yet the share of total global GHG emissions directly related to the production, distribution and use of fertilizers is between 2 and 3%. As the population continues to grow and agricultural production strives to meet food demand worldwide, fertilizer use will increase before eventually reaching a plateau towards the middle of the century. The significant risks and opportunities that climate change presents for agriculture, food supplies and the global fertilizer industry create an imperative for the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) and its member companies to contribute to mitigation and adaptation in the context of achieving a more sustainable path to global food security.

Fertilizers are an essential tool to increase food production sustainably

In the context of projected population growth and improving incomes, it is estimated that agricultural demand by 2050 will range from 50 to 80% above today’s level of production (Müller 2009, FAO 2006). The expected increase in arable land area is estimated to be much lower, implying a need to further increase land productivity (FAO 2003).

Because any reduction in production intensity at one location would need to be compensated by additional production elsewhere, it is imperative to optimize agricultural production per unit of land in order to meet future demand.

Many good agricultural practices that increase productivity also moderate agricultural GHG emissions and have other sustainable development benefits, including greater food security, poverty alleviation, moisture retention in soils and soil conservation. Good agricultural practices also help prevent unwanted environmental impacts related to poorly managed fertilizer use, such as eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and acidification.

According to the agricultural chapter of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), direct agricultural emissions made up 10-12% of total anthropogenic GHG emissions in 2005 (5.1-6.2 Pg CO₂ -eq) (Smith et al. 2007). GHG emissions from deforestation, mainly in tropical countries, contributed an additional 5.9 Pg CO₂-eq per year (with an uncertainty range of ±2.9 Pg CO₂-eq), thus equalling or exceeding emissions from all other agricultural sources combined.

Enhanced yields are particularly important in helping to prevent further deforestation, and fertilizers are essential to increase production on existing agricultural land.

The overall level of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise for the foreseeable future as agricultural production expands to keep pace with growing food, feed, fibre and bioenergy demand. Increasing agricultural efficiency is critical to keep overall emissions as low as possible and to reduce the level of emissions per unit of agricultural output. Efficient and responsible production, distribution and use of fertilizers are central to achieving these goals.

Reducing emissions that affect climate is a priority of the fertilizer industry

The fertilizer industry recognizes that it contributes directly and indirectly to emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), through the production, distribution and use of fertilizers.

IFA encourages its members to minimize their direct emissions, to foster the reduction of emissions related to the use of fertilizers and, where possible, to contribute to the creation or expansion of carbon sinks.

Future natural gas-based ammonia production will use Best Available Techniques (BATs) because of competitiveness and energy efficiency imperatives, thus reducing related greenhouse gas emissions. Clean-coal technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will help address GHG emissions from new coal-based ammonia production capacity. However, it will take decades to bring this new technology online.

In the meantime, wider uptake of Best Practice Technologies (BPTs) can help improve the average performance of existing production sites. For example, new catalytic technology for the nitric acid sector provides significant potential for reducing the fertilizer industry’s N₂O emissions in the medium term.

In addition to improvements in production technology, the industry provides stewardship through its marketing, R&D, and application and advisory services. These efforts encourage nutrient management that:

• Minimizes agricultural greenhouse gas emissions;
• Maximizes carbon storage;
• Prevents additional deforestation;
• Optimizes the production of agricultural products, including those that can be substituted for some fossil fuels and products derived from fossil fuels.
• To help farmers adapt to climate change, the fertilizer industry is intensifying its efforts to develop and share its knowledge, products and technologies.

Appropriate and timely policy decisions are critical to ensure desired emissions reductions

Fertilizer production and agriculture are both truly global businesses. Policy decisions related to climate change need to take into account local conditions and the possibility of trade substitution (which could lead to “carbon leakage”). Otherwise, competitiveness could be distorted and emissions reduction targets could be undermined.

Policies should recognize early adopters and providers of improved technologies in order to encourage appropriate investments in the near term. Policy makers should provide timely and transparent signals to foster the implementation of better-performing technologies at the earliest possible opportunity.

Financing mechanisms need to address barriers to technology adoption. They also need to take into account the specific needs of agriculture.

Efforts by the fertilizer industry to take responsibility for its greenhouse gas emissions can only be fully effective if policy makers and other partners, such as farmers, also play their parts.

Note: This brief is an extract from the white paper published by IFA: Fertilizers and Climate Change. Enhancing Agricultural Productivity Sustainably.