با همکاری انجمن اقتصاد کشاورزی ایران
نوع مقاله : مقالات پژوهشی
نویسندگان
مرکز ملی مطالعات راهبردی کشاورزی و آب اتاق بازرگانی، صنایع، معادن و کشاورزی ایران، تهران، ایران
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Abstract
Title
Policies and Strategies for Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Agricultural Sector of Iran
Introduction
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and F-gases (Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) such as C₂F₆, CF₄, SF₆, and NF₃) play a key role in increasing global warming and intensifying climate change through their absorption and re-emission of thermal radiation. Among economic sectors, agriculture significantly contributes to these emissions via crop cultivation, enteric fermentation in livestock, application of chemical and organic fertilizers, rice paddies, and energy consumption. The agricultural sector of Iran contributes a considerable amount to the total greenhouse gases emissions, thereby playing an important role in climate change. This study aims to quantify greenhouse gases emissions from Iran’s agricultural sector and identify policies and strategies for emission mitigation.
Materials and Methods
Greenhouse gases emissions from agricultural sector of Iran were estimated using data on livestock, fertilizer amount use, rice cultivation, and energy consumption. All emissions were converted to CO₂-equivalent (CO₂eq) using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Global Warming Potential (GWP) values, allowing aggregation of total emissions and comparison across sources. GWP indicates how much energy one ton of a given gas absorbs over a specific time period (usually 100 years) relative to one ton of CO₂. Carbon dioxide, with a GWP value of 1, serves as the baseline and can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years. If a gas has a GWP of 10, it means that one kg of that gas traps ten times more heat than one kg of CO₂.
Results and Discussion
Studies indicate that agricultural sector of Iran contributes significantly to greenhouse gases emissions. Major sources include chemical and organic fertilizers (18.3 Mt CO₂eq), enteric fermentation in livestock (20 Mt CO₂eq), on farm electricity application (19 Mt CO₂eq), natural gases usage (11 Mt CO₂eq), fossil fuel consumption for agricultural machinery (8 Mt CO₂eq), and rice cultivation (1 Mt CO₂eq), totaling 78 Mt CO₂eq. Indirect emissions from soil carbon release, livestock grazing, and crop residue burning are estimated about 25 Mt CO₂eq. Overall, total agricultural emissions are approximately 103 Mt CO₂eq, representing about 10% of Iran’s total greenhouse gases emissions. These findings indicate that official estimates by organizations such as IPCC and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), relying on approximate data and lacking large-scale field measurements, likely underestimate actual emissions, highlighting the need for revision and careful consideration in national policy-making.
Conclusion
The increase in greenhouse gases emissions has significantly impacted the global climate, including a 1.6 °C rise in average temperature, glacial melting, altered precipitation patterns, increased evaporation, and depletion of surface and groundwater resources. While Iran and several other countries examined in this study such as India, Mexico, Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt were unable to reduce emissions between 2005 and 2023, experiences from the United States demonstrate that supportive legislation and dedicated funding at the policy level can effectively reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Inefficient use of nitrate fertilizers is one of the main sources of greenhouse gases emissions in the agricultural sector, especially in countries like Iran, where nitrogen use efficiency is low. In this context, allocating a portion of Iran’s gross domestic product (GDP) to support low carbon agriculture is recommended. Strategies such as using sustained- or controlled-release fertilizers (SRF/CRF), promoting renewable energy, gradually transitioning from traditional to industrial livestock systems, applying methane-reducing additives and vaccines, and implementing integrated farming systems like agroforestry can be effective. Achieving sustainable, low-carbon agriculture in Iran requires a comprehensive approach based on real data, improved input management and production practices, renewable energy infrastructure, and legal, financial, and research support for low-carbon technologies.
Acknowledgement
This research is financially supported by the National Agriculture and Water Strategic Research Center of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) under grant No. ص/10/2/960. Any findings, inferences and opinions, expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessary reflect the official standing of the ICCIMA. The authors declare that they don’t have any conflict of interests relative to this study.
Keywords: Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Global warming, Methane, Nitrous oxide.
Keywords: Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Global warming, Methane, Nitrous oxide.
Keywords: Carbon sequestration, Climate change, Global warming, Methane, Nitrous oxide.
کلیدواژهها English
