Should process soil models be admitted to estimate agricultural N₂O emissions under FCCC?

Abstract

The emission accounting under the Kyoto protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) is based on the inventory methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This IPCC methodology to estimate national emission levels of N₂O basically relates emissions from agricultural soils to the amount of nitrogen applied to them. The methodology does not account for the timing of fertiliser application, the type of synthetic fertiliser, planted crops or tillage practices. These factors of agricultural management are known to have a stronger influence on emissions from soils than the amount of nitrogen fertiliser applied. A reporting methodology that fails to account for these differences will not provide incentives for countries to pursue these lower cost approaches because they will not receive credit for these measures. Based on the published literature this paper demonstrates that key elements for the design of a more realistic methodology are available. A new methodology will necessarily be significantly more complex than the old one and thus may be unacceptable to some parties under the Kyoto-Protocol. Its use could therefore be made optional for countries that wish to pursue an active policy with respect to their emissions of N₂O from soils. This option could be useful for parties like the USA where agricultural N₂O emissions are relatively important. It may help these countries to fulfil their commitment under the Kyoto-Protocol at lower costs and with greater involvement of their agricultural sector.