Climate Change - Infopage
GHG and ammonia emissions from agriculture and CAP measures contribution to climate action.
Background information
Agriculture is highly exposed to climate change, as farming activities directly depend on climatic conditions. Agriculture also contributes to climate change through the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Agriculture affects air quality through emissions of ammonia.
However, agriculture can also contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and by sequestering carbon while maintaining food production. To that end permanent grassland maintenance and supporting farmers using these pastures play a key role. In addition, the Rural Development policy promotes resource efficiency and supports the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy.
To know more on environmental challenges facing agriculture and rural areas, click here.
In case data are missing for some Member States, EU totals are calculated with the available information.
Figure: Change in GHG emissions from agriculture (including cropland and grassland) in the EU between 1990 and 2016 (%)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Graph: GHG emissions from agriculture (including cropland and grassland) (1000 t of CO2 equivalent)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:
Map: Share of GHG emissions from agriculture (including cropland and grassland) (%)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Notes:
- The figure is above 100% in Sweden, because in this country forestry is sequestrating huge amounts of carbon and the net emissions from agriculture (including forestry) are higher than the total net emissions.
Graph: Ammonia emissions from agriculture (1000t of NH3)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Graph: Mean organic carbon content (g kg-1)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Graph: Share of permanent grassland in total UAA by MS (%)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Notes:
- UAA: Utilised agricultural area
- The source for the permanent grassland and meadows area is the annual crop production statistics (Eurostat).
Graph: Share of permanent grassland in total UAA over time (%)
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Notes:
- UAA: Utilised agricultural area
- There are breaks in time series due to methodological changes (e.g. in BG in 2013).
Graph: Rural development financial contribution to climate action (%)
Share of expenditure under priority 5 promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy.
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:
Notes:
- The Declarations of expenditure for the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) (DOE) are quarterly notifications of Member States expenditure. CATS is the Clearance Audit Trail System, i.e. the database used for audit.
- Many environment/climate schemes have multiple objectives and address several Focus Areas, but the budget can be allocated to one priority only. The expenditure figures reported here relate solely to operations where the expenditure is attributed to Priority 5 (promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift toward a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors). The schemes which contribute to climate action but for which the expenditure is programmed under Priority 4 (restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry) are not taken into account in this calculation for expenditure.
- This calculation based on rural development funds and Priority 5 only differs from the Climate tracking. Complete information on the financial contribution of the CAP to mainstreaming climate action using the EU climate markers is available in the following report (annex III).
Graph: Share of land under contracts targeting climate action
GHG and ammonia emissions, focus area 5D, and carbon sequestration or conservation, focus area 5E, rural development programmes.
Indicator(s) used in the graph:
Mapping with legend(s) in the graph:
Notes:
- The hectares of agricultural land and forestry area under management contracts targeting climate action (Focus Area 5D and 5E) are reported by Member States to the Commission in the Annual implementation reports (AIR) of Rural Development programmes. The denominator (total Utilised agricultural area) refers to the figure of the closest year in the Farm Structure Survey.
- This area also includes schemes programmed under priority 4 (restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to agriculture and forestry) that also contribute to focus areas 5D and 5E, where this is indicated by the Member States.