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Screening af andre landes virkemidler og tiltag inden for landbrugssektoren Summary and conclusionsThe agriculture has an important influence on the national greenhouse gas emissions as a result of emission of carbon dioxide, methane and laughing gas. In Denmark the agriculture contributed to almost 17 per cent of the green house gas balance in 2003 (Ministry for Environment and Energy 2005). The emissions occur within the livestock production and plant growing production, including land use. Furthermore, through its correlation with the energy sector the agricultural sector can influence the greenhouse gas emission by the production of bio energy. Thus, regulation of activities in the agriculture can be an important means for fulfilment of Denmark’s reduction obligations according to the Kyoto Protocol. The present report describes present and future reduction initiatives within the agriculture of nine selected countries. The nine countries are: Canada, the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, Spain, Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and Austria. The countries’ use of technologies and means for reduction of the greenhouse gas emission has been examined. Against this background it can be concluded that no means have been introduced into the agriculture with the purpose of reducing the greenhouse gas emission but rather to regulate other environmental problems related to the agriculture. Furthermore, it can be stated from the screening that few socio economic calculations have been made in the reference countries which support the introduction of given technologies and means. The bio energy area, however, is an exception. The means introduced in the reference countries within bio energy do not differ from the Danish means. However, it can be stated that the support for bio gas in countries like Germany and Austria is in general higher. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the other reference countries have taken more initiatives for the promotion of bio mass fuels for the transportation sector. Studies from different countries demonstrate that the CO2 costs are 2,000 DKK within the biogas area and about 400-2,000 DKK for the bio mass fuels for the transportation sector in case of own production. It can be stated that no CO2 cost effective means or technologies have been found that can be directly transferred to in Danish conditions. Livestock ProductionThe major source of greenhouse gas emission from livestock production is the digestive system of ruminants which results in the creation of methane and storing of manure from all livestock farming in which laughing gas is produced. Discharge of methane from e.g. the digestive system of cattle can be reduced by a special composition of animal feed and indirectly by increasing the productivity of the animals, since this may result in reduction of the number of animals. No examples of active regulation of feeding or requirements to the productivity of the animals among the reference countries have been found. Therefore, changes have primarily taken place as a result of private economic decisions related to the method of making the production more effective. It is estimated that there is a real reduction potential with regard to the composition of the animal feed. Studies from different countries point to a reduction potential of up to 25 per cent in the emission of methane from cattle. The studies did not estimate the CO2 costs of a changed composition of the feed. Furthermore, a number of side effects have changed the composition of the feed which as an example may deteriorate the animal welfare. At the same time it is difficult to assess such side effects from objective criteria. As a consequence of the EU Nitrate Directive manure and dung should be stored which results in an increased emission of methane and ammonia from these stores. In several of the reference countries the emission from stores is controlled through regulations such as a demand for establishment of artificial or natural covers e.g. straw, on the liquid storage facilities which reduce the emission. On production and application of the bio gas for energy purposes the greenhouse emission can be further reduced and the total CO2-effect can be positive. Plant ProductionThe reference countries’ uses of means and techniques in order to reduce the greenhouse gas emission within plant production have been examined. In general, it can be stated that there is a lack of valid data on the actual greenhouse gas effects. Since the basis of measuring the greenhouse gas effects of different techniques is uncertain and difficult, it is also not possible to make actual CO2-cost calculations. Therefore, such calculations were not found in the material included in the study. However, this complex of problems is in focus and research is carried on in many institutions in order to be able to understand and measure nitrogen and carbon fixations in soil and plants. It is difficult to measure such fixations since they are very sensitive to local conditions such as type of soil, soil structure, local water content in the soil and climate, and crops and methods of cultivation. However, there is no doubt that fixation of carbon in the earth is relevant and possible by means of different cultivation practices, e.g. crop residues in the field, adopted fertilization, use of carbon fixating crops etc. These initiatives are primarily promoted through information on cultivation practice and regulation. For instance, in many countries burning of straw is prohibited and taxes are put on fertilizers, both means result in a positive CO2-effect. In Austria financial support for extensification (reduced use of fertilizers or plant protection means) of the plant production has been introduced. This has an indirect effect on the green house gas emission. Land UseThe change of farming areas to other application also influences the greenhouse gas emission. In Holland afforrestation is promoted in cooperation with private actors who can buy CO2-certificates by co financing afforestation projects. It may be considered to transfer such means to Denmark who has prioritized afforestation as an action area. However, CO2 certificates must reflect the actual CO2 effect. The EU’s set-aside scheme which was originally established to limit the foodstuff production also has an indirect influence on the greenhouse gas emission. The establishment of planted up fallow fields delimits the greenhouse gas emissions. Among the reference countries there are different politics for how organic soils should be used. Depending on wet or dry soil the differences of greenhouse gas emissions vary. Therefore, the politic chosen for these areas e.g. should they be in rotation or should drain be laid is of importance to the greenhouse gas balance. Bio EnergyBio energy describes energy produced from bio mass. This can be anything form the use of residual products from farming to heat production, and production and use of fuel crop for the production of biogas. Thus, both techniques and the resulting CO2-effects are different. It is generally agreed that bio energy in its use is CO2 neutral where the CO2-effect by the actual production of bio energy depends on a number of components. This comprises everything from the type of bio mass and production to conversion of the bio mass into bio energy which again depends on the production techniques. Moreover, the total CO2 effect depends on the replacement effect which means to which extent the use of bio energy supersedes the use of fossil fuels. The studies included in this report have all assumed a 100 percentage displacement effect. On the other hand the assumptions on the CO2 intensity in the energy replaced have varied, e.g. the electricity production will have different displacement effects depending on how the electricity is produced in the country in question. This explains part of the variation of the CO2 cost calculations. However, this does not apply to comparisons in the transportation sector which in all reference countries are almost 100 per cent at present based on fossil energy sources. At the over national level the quota trade system itself results in passing on the quota costs directly to the energy prices which contributes to an increased profitability of the renewable energy. Next EU has adopted the Bio Fuel Directive and the directive on the promotion on the quota of renewable energy. These directives have resulted in the introduction of different means in form of tax relief and increased research and development within the relevant areas. In addition, the EU agricultural support programmes give direct support to growing of fuel crops on fallow fields. Biomass from residual products of farming The use of residual products from farming for energy purposes (burning of straw) influences the CO2 emission solely in a positive way since there is no CO2-load through the production of the bio fuel and fossil energy sources are replaced through application[2]. In the Netherlands the use of bio mass (a.o. from the residual products from farming) for energy purposes is subject to a framework agreement which in its structure is similar to the Danish framework agreement, and an agreement exists in which the power plants have committed themselves to using a certain amount of bio mass. Transferred to Danish conditions it is estimated that the use of residual products from farming for energy purposes has a large potential. This applies e.g. to burning of straw or other residual products. On the long view it can also be a matter of conversion of straw to bio ethanol. Bio mass fuel for transportation The EU set-aside scheme with belonging single payment and the EU Bio Mass Fuel Directive are the most significant means in relation to the reference countries. Almost all the reference countries have used means for the promotion of bio mass fuel (bio diesel and bio ethanol) by introducing tax relief on application. Furthermore, the security of supplies is an important motivation in order to introduce these means. In general, it has turned out that the CO2 costs of bio mass fuel are higher, approximately DK 2,000. One explanation of the high CO2 costs is that the studies have assumed that the price of fuel crops is similar to the production costs by local production. The CO2-cost may be reduced by importing bio ethanol from e.g. Brazil. When ready-produced bio ethanol is imported, the CO2-emission in connection with the production of bio ethanol will not be added to the Danish greenhouse balance. A Swedish study demonstrates that the CO2-cost when imported bio ethanol from Brazil is used is nearly DKK 400 per ton CO2. This includes the EU duty of nearly 1 DKK per litre of bio ethanol. Were the duty removed, the CO2. cost could be further reduced. Bio Gas The production of bio gas is the only form of bio energy in which the production of bio gas results in a CO2 saving, since the emission of methane from stores is collected and burned off. The subsequent utilization for power production or transportation results in a further CO2 reduction in form of substitution of fossil energy sources. The structure of the means for promotion of bio gas in the reference countries is similar to the Danish means however the level of the minimum price of electricity is higher than in Denmark. This results in a significant extension of the bio gas capacity in countries such as Austria and Germany. Means for promotion of bio gas for transportation purpose are at present only introduced in Sweden where they are primarily related to the demand in form of favourable consumer conditions, investment aid for bio gas vehicles, tax relief, information etc. CO2-costs for bio gas for electricity production cannot be directly compared since they depend on the CO2 displacement effect. However, in general they are high and for studies performed in Austria and Germany the level is around 2,000 DKK/ton CO2. Future technologiesThe future technologies are closely related to the technologies applied today. The overall research is to improve the present technologies, define the general knowledge and develop bio energy techniques. No real studies have been found to demonstrate the CO2 effect or CO2 cost of future technologies. The reason might be that the technologies are being developed which means that the present costs are not representative when the development of the technology is completed. Within animal production possible future means point to intensifying animal production and improving handling of manure so that the greenhouse gas emission from the animals’ digestion, storing of manure and spreading of manure is minimized. When it is about future technologies for CO2 reduction within plant production of increased carbon fixation it seems to be more difficult, since the effect of existing initiatives and means cannot be estimated. Therefore, researches are carried on to improved methods in documentation of the effects. By production of bio energy research is done in various techniques for the production of new bio energy techniques. The motivation lies in an increased wish to be independent of fossil energy sources and to increase the security of supplies. Fodnoter[2] CO2-load by production of e.g. straw is entirely added to the production of the sales crop, e.g. corn.
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