Analysis of Main Factors Affecting Agricultural Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Gyarmati, Gábor

Keywords: agricultural CO2 emissions, agricultural value added, determinants of CO2 emissions, sustainability, Q10, Q40, Q56

Sustainability is a key question of 21st-century agriculture worldwide, so it is a priority in Eu agricultural policy, among others. The main question of this research is what factors determine the carbon dioxide emissions from agricultural production. After all, the literature suggests that agriculture is responsible, if not significantly, for a slice of carbon dioxide emissions, between 7 and 13%. Greenhouse gases are the main cause of climate change. There is a strong correlation between carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions. Where a country is less industrialised, i.e., where agriculture accounts for a larger share of total output, it will have lower agricultural carbon dioxide emissions. The level of manure use also has a positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions, both from animal manure and from fertilisers. The study has explored the factors that influence cO2 emissions from agriculture in order to take steps to achieve better sustainability. The study has examined these factors and their interrelationships by country and group of countries, based on available World Bank and other databases, using data over several decades. The correlations revealed by statistical methods help policy makers and practitioners to understand how they can be affected. In order to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential that these factors are considered by decision-makers at the grassroots level. There does not seem to be much room for manoeuvre for decision-makers to involve land, but more optimal use of cultivated land is certainly recommended. Reducing animal production will also reduce emissions, optimising the use of manure and eliminating waste by prioritising the use of animal manure in the right quantities. The size of the agricultural GDP depends on many factors, so changing it is a complex issue, and its role in reducing carbon emissions does not outweigh the energy investment it would require.

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