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Climate Change

Answer

The table below shows greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from food production by category included in the UK GHG inventory for 2005, in million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This is the most recent year for which data are available. The data on emissions from fuel combustion include forestry operations and food production. Emissions from energy use by the food anddrink industry (for example, emissions from the processing of raw ingredients into packaged, canned or frozen products), and emissions from the manufacture of fertilizer, are included in the inventory with industrial emissions, but these are not separately identified. Emissions outside the UK from the production of food imported to the UK are excluded in the UK inventory. The emissions are reported in accordance with internationally agreed guidelines. Statistics for carbon dioxide (CO2) indicators for food transportation are available on the Defra website. The most recent estimates show that CO2 emissions from food transport, including emissions from overseas transport, increased by 4 per cent between 2002 and 2004. The impacts of food transport are highly dependent on the mode of transport used: GHG emissions per tonne carriedare much higher for air transport than for sea transport.

2005 emissions (million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent)
Category	Carbon dioxide	Methane	Nitrous oxide	Total
Combustion of fossil fuels
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing: Stationary combustion	0.48	0.04		0.51
Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing: Emissions from off-road machinery	3.96		0.48	4.44
Enteric fermentation and manure management
Cattle (enteric fermentation and manure management)		13.82		13.82
Sheep (enteric fermentation and manure management)		3.56		3.56
Other animals (enteric fermentation and manure management)		1.06		1.06
Manure management nitrous oxide emissions			1.32	1.32
Fertilizer use
Agricultural Soils			25.12	25.12
Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry
Cropland—changes in non-forest biomass due to yield improvements, and lowland drainage	0.55			0.55
Cropland and Grassland—application of lime	0.73			0.73
Land converted to cropland or grassland—changes to soil carbon and biomass stocks due to change of land use, and emissions from biomass burning from forest conversion	5.68			5.68
Total				56.80

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

689 c220-2WA; 1840

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Air pollution Carbon dioxide Food Production Processed food Transport

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk