Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases have a negative impact on climate change and are methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). In agriculture the first two are the most important. Agriculture contributes over 30% of our national greenhouse gas emissions.

• 

  Nitrous Oxide

  (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas with a 100-year global warming potential 298 times greater than carbon dioxide. Agriculture contributes almost 90% of total N2O emissions in Ireland, mainly due to nitrogen fertiliser use and emissions from animal waste

• 

  Methane

  Agriculture accounts for the majority of methane (CH4) emissions in Ireland (almost 90%) due to the dominance of cattle and sheep production. These ruminant animals release CH4 as a bi-product of microbial fermentation of food in the rumen and large intestine

• 

  Carbon Dioxide

  Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main man-made gas.It accounts for 76% of global emissions. CO2 does not break down easily and it remains in the atmosphere for several centuries.

Greenhouse Gases - Further Information

Publications

• Protected Urea
• Teagasc at the International Conference on Agricultural GHG Emissions and Food Security
• An Analysis of Abatement Potential of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Irish Agriculture 2021-2030 (PDF)

Media Article

• Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Agriculture

Technology Updates

• Greenhouse gases mitigation and agriculture - 5800
• Assessing the greenhouse gas budget of tillage mitigation options for arable systems - 5802
• Assessing the greenhouse gas budget of biomass and biofuel crops - 5801
• Market and non-market based strategies to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Irish Farms - 5816
• Nitrogen value and greenhouse gas footprint of digestate from anaerobic digestors - 5819