UN: "31% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Originate from Agriculture and Food Production Processes"

"Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture Sector Increased by 17% Over the Past 30 Years"

[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The United Nations released a report at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) revealing that 31% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 originated from agriculture and food production processes.

The UN pointed out in the report that greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector are increasing, and its share of total emissions is also growing. The UN specifically highlighted that activities such as land clearing or deforestation for agriculture, as well as methane emissions from livestock farming, are major contributors to global warming.

According to the report, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and food production have increased by 17% over the past 30 years. Considering that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) under the UN estimated that the agricultural sector accounted for about 25-30% of greenhouse gas emissions between 2007 and 2016, the sector's share is steadily rising. The 31% emission share in 2019 corresponds to approximately 16.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide.

The agricultural sector's share of methane and nitrous oxide emissions was even higher. Agriculture accounted for 53% of total methane emissions, with livestock such as cattle being the main source. The share of nitrous oxide emissions was 78%, primarily due to fertilizers.

In 2019, countries with high agricultural sector emissions included China, India, Brazil, the United States, and Indonesia. In South America, agriculture accounted for 72% of greenhouse gas emissions. Africa's share was 57%, while Asia and North America had a rate of 27%.

This report was jointly prepared by the United Nations, the International Energy Agency (IEA), Columbia University, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Meanwhile, last week, about 30 countries including the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to curb greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector through innovation. These 30 countries plan to invest more than $4 billion over the next five years to innovate in the agricultural sector.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.