Reuters – A global push to cut methane emissions and end deforestation is at risk of being held back by weak corporate efforts in the livestock industry, an investor group said. More than 100 countries pledged to cut methane emissions 30 per cent and halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 at last month’s COP26 climate […] Read more
Tag Archives Environment — page 15
Investor group warns livestock industry needs to do more on methane
FAIRR Initiative report could influence how, and where, members invest
EU’s GHGs rise by nearly a fifth on economic rebound
Greenhouse gas emissions from European Union countries jumped 18 per cent last spring, according to data from the bloc’s statistics office, as all economic sectors released more harmful gases into the atmosphere as they recovered from pandemic shutdowns. Eurostat said emissions totalled 867 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents from April to June, up sharply from […] Read more
Debating carbon decrease priorities
There’s debate among agriculture organizations on how to measure the sector’s contributions
Should agriculture’s decreases in carbon emissions be based on intensity of use per unit of food, or measured in the total volume of reductions? That’s the crux of a philosophical discussion happening in agriculture and showcased by competing reports on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Why it matters: How farmers are required […] Read more
Farmers say COP26 targets can be met
Summit delegates were told that governments must make sure producers receive the support they need to help reduce climate change impact
Glacier FarmMedia – The United Nations says significant progress was made at COP26 as countries agreed to reduce the impact of climate change on agriculture and lower the sector’s contributions. However, the Glasgow climate change conference was also criticized for not emphasizing agriculture enough. For example, agricultural discussions were included in nature and land use […] Read more
Comment: A global methane pledge is great – but only if it doesn’t distract us from CO2 cuts
Climate change: The atmospheric life of methane and CO2 are dramatically different, but we aren’t in an either/or situation
Leading an alliance of more than 100 countries, U.S. President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have launched the Global Methane Pledge – an agreement to cut methane emissions by 30 per cent between 2020 and 2030. Methane is a greenhouse gas that has caused about 0.5 C of global warming, according to […] Read more
Plant from plastics: bio-based polymers transformed into fertilizer
Science Notes: The new system can help fight pollution and resource depletion
Plastics have taken the world by storm over the last century, finding applications in virtually every aspect of our lives. However, the rise of these synthetic polymers, which form the basis of plastics, has contributed to many serious environmental issues. The worst of these is the excessive use of petrochemical compounds and the disposal of […] Read more
Lowering livestock methane through heritable microbes
Breeding programs based on microbial DNA could help meet climate targets faster
Methane-reducing feed ingredients and emissions-focused breeding programs have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by livestock. For the latter, however, new research from Scotland’s Rural College highlights opportunities for breeders to focus on the DNA of an animal’s gut bacteria, not just DNA and methane production levels of the animal […] Read more
Opinion: Better framework for fertilizer discussion needed
Assuming a direct correlation between reduced product use and yields is overly simplistic
Fertilizer Canada, which represents companies that produce and sell fertilizer products, certainly got people’s attention late last month when it said proposed cuts to fertilizer use could cost Canadian farmers $48 billion. That’s a big number, albeit an estimate spread over the next decade or so. It’s based on tallying up the cost of lower […] Read more
Are greenhouse gas emission reduction goals too costly?
Reducing fertilizer use might be a tough target without cutting production and incomes, says industry
Glacier FarmMedia – A recent report prepared by accounting firm Meyers Norris Penny says Canadian farmers could lose $48 billion over the next eight years if the federal government moves ahead with plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from on-farm fertilizer use by 30 per cent. In its report entitled Implications of a Total Emissions […] Read more
Carbon border adjustments pending
Policy was first mentioned in the 2020 climate plan, and it now it seems it will be a reality
Carbon border adjustments are coming to Canada. It is just a matter of when. Ten days before calling the election, the Liberal government announced consultations would officially begin on border carbon adjustments (BCAs). A policy paper detailing the policy was included. BCAs aim to reduce the so-called “carbon leakage” that occurs when a company leaves […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
