MONET 2030: Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture

SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal description

«[…] Agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centred rural development and protecting the environment. Right now, our soils, freshwater, oceans, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is putting even more pressure on the resources we depend on, increasing risks associated with disasters such as droughts and floods. […] »

Swiss target 2.4: The proportion of farms engaged in especially environment and animal-friendly production under public and private sustainability programmes rises by a third compared with 2020.

Significance of the indicator
The indicator shows emissions of methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂0) linked to agricultural production in Switzerland. More than a third of Switzerland’s territory is used for agriculture. It is therefore a major component of human impact on the environment. A reduction in these emissions, therefore, is a step towards sustainable development.

International comparability
The data used for this indicator are calculated on the basis of international guidelines using the framework methodology of the UN Climate Council (IPCC). Therefore, this indicator can be compared at international level.

Synthesis

The data include emissions of methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂0) generated by:
• direct agricultural production: (digestion of livestock, soil fertilisation and farm manure management),
• farms’ energy consumption;
• input (mineral fertilisers and animal fodder imports).
The calculation methods used to estimate agricultural production, energy consumption and carbon losses are the same used for the national greenhouse gas inventory, completed with other methods. As far as inputs are concerned, a life cycle analysis approach is adopted.
CH₄ and N₂0 emissions are converted into CO₂-equivalents (CO₂-eq) on the basis of their global warming potential over 100 years. A factor of 25 is used for CH₄ and of 298 for N₂O.

Federal Office for the Environment FOEN – Switzerland's greenhouse gas inventory

Swiss target 2.4: The proportion of farms engaged in especially environment and animal-friendly production under public and private sustainability programmes rises by a third compared with 2020.

International target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.