Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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1.4 Mitigation and Sequestration of GHG Emissions in Agriculture
Nationally, annual GHG emissions from agriculture are expected to increase in the
coming decades due to escalating demands for food and shifts in diet. 60 However,
improved management practices and emerging technologies may permit a reduction in
emissions per unit of food (or of protein) produced. Agriculture can play an important role
in helping to mitigate GHG emissions due to its ability to implement management
changes rapidly relative to other GHG mitigation or carbon sequestration technologies. 61
Many mitigation opportunities use current technologies and can be implemented
immediately, but technological development will be a key driver to ensuring the efficacy
of additional mitigation measures in the future. 62
GHG mitigation opportunities fall into two broad categories, based on the implemented
mechanism of (1) Reducing Emissions and (2) Enhancing Removals. 63
Reducing Emissions
The primary GHG emissions produced by agricultural practices are carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). 64, 65, 66 Through efficient management of
carbon and nitrogen flows, reduction of these gases can be efficiently achieved in
agricultural systems. Fertilization practices that deliver nitrogen more efficiently can
reduce N2O emissions 67 and better management of livestock feed and manure can
reduce the amount of CH4 produced. 68 Approaches to reduce GHG emissions vary by
region depending on local conditions, however, the most prominent options for mitigating
GHG emissions in agricultural operations in Boulder County include improved land
management (through nutrient use, agronomy, and tillage), improved feeding practices,
and manure management. 69 A more complete list of potential mitigation measures is
presented in Figure 5 on the following page.
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In order to understand the global warming potential (GWP) of an approach or practice it
is important to view the whole system. Often times a mitigation practice will affect more
than one gas, sometimes in opposite ways by reducing one gas but increasing another,
so the total reduction benefit depends on the combined effects of all greenhouse
gases. 70, 71 Additionally, the timeframe of emission reduction is important to consider, as
some emissions are reduced indefinitely while others may be only reduced
72, 73
temporarily.
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