Carbon footprinting on farm practical issues and future development
SRUC Carbon Management Centre Supports the development of low carbon farming through research, consultancy and education Engages with end user communities, policy makers, retailers and regulators to deliver change 2 2
Carbon footprinting on farm - outline 1) Current drivers 2) Practical issues and benefits 2) Future developments 3 3
Carbon footprinting on farm current drivers 1) Government regulation nil but coming? 2) Supermarket and consumer demand -? 2) Efficiency and cost savings 4 4
2050 targets for greenhouse gases 679 Mt CO 2 e International aviation & international shipping* UK non-co 2 GHGs 42 94 Other CO 2 Industrial CO 2 (heat & industrial processes) Residential, public & commercial heat 109 97 76% cut (= 80% vs. 1990) Domestic transport 135 159 Mt CO 2 e Electricity generation 178 * bunker fuels basis 2007 emissions 2050 objective 5 DEFRA 2009
Scottish Government - Farming for a better climate; Five key action areas 1. Energy and Fuel use 2. Renewables 5. Optimise livestock productivity 3.Locking in Carbon 4. Best use of fertilisers 6
Retailers seeking to lower their supply chain impact - farm main source of carbon SAC-HIE dairy study farm 90% of carbon emissions to supermarket % 91% Negligible 1% 7% Negligible Not calculated 12,007 57 169 979 34 kgco 2 e/ tms Farm In transport Packaging Processing (incl. waste) Distribution Consumer SAC - HIE study shows: Beef farms responsible for 98% (20,171kgCO 2 e) supply chain emissions Sheep farms responsible for 95% (23,583kgCO 2 e) supply chain emissions 7
www.coolfarmtool.org 8
Beef sucklers the most profitable units have the lowest carbon hoof print Source: QMS, ESTIMATING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM SCOTTISH LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES, 2009 Production cycle 9 9
Carbon calculators establish a baseline 1) Standards - Kyoto IPPCC - Industry PAS2050 2) Cost vs benefit - Simple tick box exercise quick & easy but little benefit - More detailed and tailored carbon and resource audit valuable management insight/cost savings 3) Unit of measurement - Emissions per farm, per ha, per unit of output? 10 10
Free tools available stand alone without technical advice Several now available on web e.g. Cool Farm Tool tailored for potatoes(unilever, McCains), or more general farm estimates e.g. CALM Useful first look see Help meet processor/supermarket tick box requirement Low cost (though can be time consuming). Limited benefit No benchmarking or interpretation Not PAS2050 compliant 11 11
Calculations with consultancy advice charges to be met by cost savings More detailed and tailored carbon and resource audit valuable management insight/cost savings Benchmarking Technical Interpretation What does it mean? What can I do about it? How can I save money? PAS2050 compliant e.g. SAC Agric-CARB Carbon and Resource Benchmarking 12 12
Government supported footprinting - Farming for a better climate Torr Dairy Carbon Footprint Results The carbon footprints prepared have shown that whole farm emissions and emissions from the dairy enterprise have reduced over the first two years of the project. Year three is still to be assessed CF for year end April 2010 (kg CO2e per kg dwt/kg milk soilds) CF for year end April 2012 (kg CO2e per kg dwt/kg milk soilds) Whole farm 13.01 12.30 Dairy 11.63 11.30 Adopting mitigation measures such as reducing fuel and electricity use, making better use of organic manure and increasing livestock productivity have all contributed to the reduction in emissions found 13
Presenting results on farm clear and simple costs and resources not CO2 Provides information to farmers, suppliers and retailers on the C footprint of products PAS2050 compliant Updated using on going research at SRUC and elsewhere 14
Results - dairy carbon emissions by source 16% 43% 7% 0% Emissions by activity 6% 28% 0% Power and fuel Purchased inputs Waste Rumination and digestion Livestock manure losses to environment Fertiliser nutrient losses to environment Crop residue losses to environment 15 15
Vegetable producer - results - FUEL 60 50 Fuel use / tonne of produce 40 30 20 10 0 Sprouts Parsnips Potatoes Wheat (HGCA) Haul to plant/farm store Harvest/dry Irrigate Fert & spray etc 16
Vegetable producer - results - FERT 2000 Fertiliser kg / ha 1500 1000 500 0 Sprouts Parsnips Potatoes Wheat (HGCA) Fertiliser kg / tonne of produce 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 17 Sprouts Parsnips PotatoesWheat (HGCA) Ca S K P N
Carbon mitigation measures cost/benefit Mitigation options Improving the productivity of current systems Better energy management (energy audits, renewable microgeneration) Changing the systems and livestock numbers Better manure storage and handling Management of carbon sinks and emissions trading Options to improve carbon emissions must be balanced against: economics, other environmental benefits, and socio-economic goals 18 18 18
Policy Drivers Future Options Voluntary agreements Information Provision Grants, subsidies, charges, levies and taxes Mix of incentives and penalties Links subsidies and incentives to environmental objectives Carbon tax Cap and trade Price emissions and incentives to find efficient ways to lower emissions Direct Regulation Emissions standards or limits restricting/requiring certain farming practice 19 19
Current Scottish Policy Initiatives Farming for Better Climate Climate Change Adaptation Scottish Forestry Strategy Scottish Land Use Strategy Agriculture and Climate Change Stakeholder Group Climate Change Research PLANET Scotland Scottish Greenhouse Gas Tool Project SRDP Grants and support Skills Development Funds 20 20
European Policy Options Direct Payments Market Measures Rural Development Option 1 Introduce equity but leave mechanism as is Risk management and streamline/simplify market instruments Maintain Health Check orientation climate change, water, biodiversity, renewables, innovation Option 2 Introduce more equity in distribution Improve and simplify existing market instruments Adjust and complement existing instruments environment, climate change, and/or restructuring and innovation Option 3 Phase out and replace with limited payments for environmental public goods Abolish all market measures (with crisis clause) Measures focussed on climate change and environmental aspects The aim of this Reform is also to improve the overall environmental performance of the CAP (Dacian Ciolos, January 2011) 21 21
Soggy Scotland and UK south and east hammered, north and west better Source: Met Office 22
Scottish grain yields down 1t/ha (15%) on average Yield 7 6.5 Yield t / ha -1 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Source: Scottish Govt. 23 23
Grain prodn. & use million tonnes 2012 world grain harvest fell short of expectation - down -131mt, stocks-53mt Grain end stocks million tonnes Production Demand Stocks 1950 1900 1850 1800 1750 1700 1650 1600 1550 420 400 380 360 340 320 300 280 260 240 1500 2009 2010 2011 2012 MAY 2012 JAN 2013 220 Source: USDA 24 24
World and UK grain prices rise to new records in 2012 per tonne 235 215 195 175 155 135 115 95 75 UK wheat US maize Fr wheat Source: HGCA 25
Global demand growth is set to remain strong by 2020 wheat +13%, coarse grain +16%, oilseeds +20%, vegetable oil +27% Consumption and rate of growth of agricultural products Source: Chatham House 26 26
Resource Use Efficiency - dairy example Scenario A. Intensive production supported by importing a large share of feed requirements. Scenario B. Maximising the use of grass and homegrown feeds. Other considerations: Dairy beef, arable 27
Other indicators Economic Impact Environmental Impact Whole Farm Milk Enterprise Beef Enterprise 1 litre of milk 1 kg of beef Whole Farm Milk Enterprise Beef Enterprise 1 litre of milk 1 kg of beef Scenario A Intensive Dairy importing feed Scenario B Traditional Dairy home grown feed Criteria Carbon footprint (GWP100, kg CO 2 eq) Primary energy use (PEU) Agricultural land occupation (m 2.yr) Pesticide Use abiotic depletion (kg antimony eq.) Acidification (kg SO 2 eq.) Eutrophication (kg PO 4 --- eq.) Extracted water use New capital expenditure ( ) Revenue ( ) Operating Costs ( ) Gross margin ( ) Soil Health Biodiversity 28
Carbon footprinting on farm outlook 1) Government regulation nil, but coming? - Carbon in agriculture too complex to regulate? - Greening of CAP - simple carbon measures only? 2) Supermarket and consumer demand -? - The demand is there, but is the money? - Carbon and cost efficiency go hand in hand 3) Efficiency and cost savings - Move from narrow carbon focus to wider Resource Use Efficiency cost and sustainability - Tangible win-win s pay for themselves - AND meet government policy objectives of - reducing emissions and feeding more people with fewer resources! 29 29