Introduction
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Greenhouse Gas Budgets of Crop Production - Current and Likely Future trends
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Fertilizers, Climate Change and Enhancing Agricultural Productivity Sustainably
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Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emissions in Ammonia Production
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Fertilizers and Climate Change - Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Reducing Emissions
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The Role of Fertilizers in Agricultural Mitigation Strategies. How to Improve Greenhouse Gas Budgets through Good Agricultural Practices
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 limit additional emissions related to greater agricultural production
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.
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.
The fertilizer industry can help to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions
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 sink.
Climate change is a priority area of work for the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA). In 2007, IFA launched a task force on climate change with its members to advance the issue among the industry. The Association is also actively involved in the UNFCCC negotiations in the framework of the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN). IFA and IAFN organized an official side-event in Poznan for COP14 of UNFCCC.
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Key resources on fertilizers and climate change
- FAO/IFA (2001) Global estimates of gaseous emissions of NH3, NO and N2O from agricultural land . Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Rome, Italy. / International Fertilizer Industry Association. Paris, France.
- IFA (2007) Fertilizer Best Management Practices: General Principles, Strategy for their adoption and voluntary initiatives versus regulation . Paris, France.
- IFA (2007) Sustainable Management of the Nitrogen Cycle in Agriculture and Mitigation of Reactive Nitrogen Side Effects . First edition. Paris, France.
- Kongshaug, G. (1998) “ Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Fertilizer Production ”. IFA Techical Conference Marrakech Morocco. September/October 1998.
- Mosier, A.R. et al. (ed.) (2004) Agriculture and the Nitrogen Cycle: Assessing the impacts of fertilizer use on food production and the environment . Island Press: Washington, DC, USA.