Annual European Union greenhouse gas inventory 1990/2010 and inventory report 2012

The EU’s Environment Agency has published its annual Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory report. It shows an increase in emissions in the EU as a whole by 2.4 per cent between 2009 and 2010.

GHG emissions from the agricultural sector contributed nearly 10 per cent of total emissions in the EU-27 in 2010. Only small changes were recorded compared with the previous year, but viewed over the whole time period emissions from the sector have fallen by over 20 per cent. Enteric fermentation from cattle was identified as the largest single source of methane emissions, while enteric fermentation from sheep was the fifth largest source. Compared to 1990 levels, emissions from enteric fermentation were 22 per cent lower in cattle production and 30 per cent lower in sheep. According to the report, the lower emissions were partly due to reduced livestock numbers but also to changes in the agricultural management of organic manures.