Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Sector in Canada: A Regional Perspective *

Abstracts: "Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Sector in Canada: A Regional Perspective". The agriculture and agri-food sector (AAFS) is a major contributor to the total Canadian greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 15 % of the total. In agriculture, emissions of methane and nitrous oxide constitute more than two-thirds of the total. In this study, homogeneity of various Canadian regions for contributions made by the AAFS to greenhouse gas emissions is examined. Results suggest that almost two-thirds of the total Canadian greenhouse gas emissions from farm level activities are produced in the Prairies. Different strategies with potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture were examined. Ontario is estimated to have the largest relative potential for reducing emissions from primary agriculture. However, some gaps in meeting the commitments made under the Kyoto Protocol may remain in almost all provinces. This study also suggests that development of mitigation strategies would, by necessity, have to be designed at the local (regional) level rather than at national level. Consideration of the spillover effects of the strategies on off-farm economic activities should also be an important consideration in the final selection of mitigation measures for agriculture. ********** Pour l'agriculture, des emissions de methane et d'oxyde nitreuse constituent plus des deux-tiers du total. Dans cette etude, l'homogeneite de differentes regions canadiennes est analysee quant a la contribution du SAAA aux emissions de gaz a effet de serre. Les resultats suggerent que presque les deux tiers du total des emissions de gaz a effet de serre produites par des activites a l'echelle de l'exploitation agricole au Canada proviennent des Prairies. Des strategies differentes pour reduire les emissions de gaz a effet de serre furent analysees. La province qui semble avoir le plus grand potentiel relatif pour reduire les emissions provenant de l'agriculture meme est l'Ontario. Toutefois, certains ecarts quant a l'atteinte des engagements pris selon le Protocole de Kyoto semblent rester dans presque toutes les provinces. Cette etude suggere egalement que l'elaboration de strategies de mitigation doivent, par necessite, etre concues a l'echelle locale (regionale) plutot qu'a l'echelle nationale. Tenir compte aussi des effets secondaires de ces strategies sur les activites economiques hors ferme devrait etre une consideration importante dans le choix final de mesures de mitigation pour l'agriculture. The World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), in its pioneering report on world affairs, brought to the attention of the global society the damage mankind has done to the environment, and through that to the future sustainabilicy of the socio-economic systems all over the world. Through the complex interactions between the environment and economic systems, anthropogenic activities have limited the capacity of the ecosystem to sustain economic and social activities at levels presently enjoyed by masses of people. This message was re-confirmed by the first and the second assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which pointed out that "the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate" (Houghton et al 1996). In 1992, 176 countries met in Rio de Janeiro to review global change and related issues. At this juncture, some 111 countries, including Canada, signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC). A good description of the activities envisaged under the Agreement are described by Mintzer and Leonard (1994); its major thrust was for various countries to develop (and maintain) an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, along with an attempt to search for mitigative strategies to curb the harmful effect of these gases. For Canada, this inventory has been reported by Environment Canada (see Jaques et al 1997). …