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3. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE
3.1
General
The atmosphere, which is a layer of gases surrounding the earth, contains, in part, water
vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Some of these gases, defined as greenhouse
gases, enable solar radiation to pass through, but also absorb the incoming radiation from
the earth, which converts to heat. This process, also called the “greenhouse effect”,
preserves a temperature range that is conducive to the existence of life on earth. The
industrial revolution and subsequent technological development led to accelerated usage of
fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal, which contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas
emissions and a substantial increase in their concentration in the atmosphere. An increase in
the concentration of greenhouse gases intensifies the greenhouse effect, and leads to
accelerated global warming and climate changes of unusual power and intensity.
Worldwide recognition of the harm expected due to global warming led to a unification of
forces on an international level in an effort to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and
reduce the damages resulting from climate change. In 1992, at the UN Conference on
Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed. As part of the convention, the signatory
countries were asked to calculate and report their greenhouse gas emissions. An addition to
the Convention on Climate Change that was discussed in Kyoto in 1997 obligates the
developed countries to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions; this was signed two years
later (the Kyoto Protocol).
Israel ratified the Convention on Climate Change in 1996 and the Kyoto Protocol in 2004.
Israel is not officially obligated to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases because it is
defined by the Convention as a developing country. This is in contrast to the developed
signatory countries (Annex I), which obligated themselves to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by approximately 5% during the first obligation period of the Kyoto Protocol, which
ended in 2012.
Nevertheless, Israel is acting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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3.2
Purpose and Implications of the Indicator
3.2.1
Purpose of the Indicator
The indicator enables the presentation of the following aspects of Israel’s greenhouse gas
emissions:

Emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture and their share out of total
emissions, by type of gas.

Trends and changes in emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture.

International comparisons.
3.2.2
Effects of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Agriculture
As a result of agricultural activity, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are emitted.

Carbon dioxide from agriculture is emitted mostly as a result of direct or indirect fuel
combustion.
1. Direct fuel consumption – for agricultural machinery and heating.
2. Indirect fuel consumption (by means of electricity production) – use of
electricity for heating and operation of agricultural equipment.

In Israel, methane from agriculture is emitted mostly from livestock raising, from two
sources.
1. Fermentation in the digestive system of herbivorous animals, mostly
cattle, sheep, and goats.
2. Treatment of waste excreted by animals in dairy production, fattening
of cattle, etc.

Nitrous oxide from agriculture is created mostly by chemical reactions (nitrification
and denitrification). The sources of the emissions include use of synthetic fertilizers,
treatment and use of manure, remains of crops in the soil, and animal grazing.
3.2.3
The Investigation Period
The period investigated was 1996–2011.
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3.3
Methodology
The emissions data were calculated at the ICBS according to guidelines of the IPCC
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
The data on carbon dioxide emissions from electricity production for agriculture were
calculated according to proportions of electricity consumption in agricultural localities out of
total electricity consumption from the Israel Electric Corporation. Because electricity
consumption in agricultural localities is not identical to electricity consumption in agriculture,
an estimate was made based on data from 2009 of the consumption for agricultural activities
out of total consumption in agricultural localities. The results of the estimate showed that only
a negligible amount of the agricultural localities’ electricity consumption was due to the
households. Thus, the remainder of the consumption, which constituted most of it, was due
to agricultural activity.
3.3.1
Method of Calculating the Indicator
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas, constituting 85% of total greenhouse
gases. Other greenhouse gases are methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and the F-gases
group (HFCs, PFCs, and SF6).
The contribution of each gas to global warming is measured by its potential to maintain heat,
its molecular weight, and the length of time it remains in the atmosphere relative to carbon
dioxide. The unit of measurement of the potential warming is GWP (Global Warming
Potential) in equivalents of carbon dioxide.
For example: Over 100 years, one ton of methane has a GWP equivalent to 21 tons of CO 2.
Nitrous oxide has a GWP value of 310. The F-gases group (HFCs, PFCs, and SF6) is
associated with very high GWPs, ranging between approximately 100 and approximately
24,000.
The indicator was calculated using the following components:

Emission factors, according to IPCC guidelines

Agricultural quantities, inputs, and outputs

Consumption of fuels and electricity in agriculture

Number of animals, by type
3.3.2
Reliability of the Data

Emissions of CO2 from electricity production were calculated corresponding to
the relative share of electricity consumption in the agricultural localities.

Similar to other countries, the factors were based on estimates, adapted to
Israel.
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3.4
Indicator Data
Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions in Israel in 2011 totalled 78,452,507 tons. Of these, 2,578,360
tons (3.3%) were from agriculture. During the past decade, the percentage of emissions from
agriculture has remained almost the same.
Table D: Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Israel(1)
1996–2011
Tons, as CO2 equivalent
Total
Tons
Methane
CH4
Thereof:
% from
agriculture
Tons
Nitrous oxide
N2O
Thereof:
% from
agriculture
Tons
Thereof:
% from
agriculture
Carbon dioxide
CO2
Tons
Thereof:
% from
agriculture
1996
62,704,570
4.3
8,945,370
10.0
1,897,200
62.3
52,233,000
1.2
2000
72,438,719
3.6
9,225,582
10.0
2,205,645
59.0
61,220,159
0.6
2003
72,135,257
3.2
5,688,830
14.7
2,605,697
52.9
64,127,007
0.2
2004
72,696,579
3.3
6,067,679
13.9
2,735,085
52.2
64,164,065
0.2
2005
73,312,200
3.3
6,533,451
13.4
2,736,764
52.2
64,417,576
0.2
2006
74,656,034
3.4
6,781,998
13.7
2,767,475
54.1
65,502,554
0.2
2007
76,869,854
3.4
6,842,751
13.6
2,950,114
54.2
67,461,782
0.2
2008
77,954,465
3.3
6,847,424
14.1
2,797,262
53.5
66,838,358
0.2
2009
74,101,507
3.3
6,884,853
13.6
2,566,050
55.5
64,110,996
0.2
2010
76,924,593
3.2
6,808,359
14.4
2,631,365
53.5
66,507,804
0.1
2011
78,452,507
3.3
6,750,254
15.0
2,503,633
59.8
67,696,741
0.1
(1) Excluding emissions from electricity production.
Between 1996 and 2011, greenhouse gas emissions in Israel increased (as CO2 equivalent)
from 62.7 million tons to 78.5 million tons. Emissions of carbon dioxide, the main
greenhouse gas, increased during this period from 52.2 million tons to 67.7 million tons in
2011.
As a result of collection of methane, which is emitted from landfilled solid waste, methane
emissions (as CO2 equivalent) decreased from 8.9 million tons in 1996 to 6.7 million tons in
2011.
Nitrous oxide emissions in Israel increased from 1.9 million tons (as CO2 equivalent) in
1996 to 2.6 million tons (as CO2 equivalent) in 2010. The following year, in 2011, these
emissions decreased slightly, to 2.5 million tons.
Agriculture’s Share in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The share of agriculture out of all greenhouse gas emissions decreased between 1996 and
2003, from 4.3% to 3.2%, respectively. Since then and up to 2011, the share remained
similar. The percentage of CO2 emissions from agriculture out of all CO2 emissions
decreased from 1.2% to 0.2% during 1996–2003 and then remained stable until 2009. During
2010–2011, the percentage decreased again, to 0.1%. Between 2006 and 2010, there were
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Thousand tons, as CO2 equivalent
fluctuations in N2O emissions, although the share of N2O emissions from agriculture out of all
N2O emissions remained stable (approximately 54%). In 2011, this percentage increased to
59.8%. The increase in the percentage of N2O emissions from agriculture resulted mostly
from decreased amounts of industrial production, which on one hand led to a decrease in
industry’s share of the emissions, and on the other hand led to an increase in agriculture’s
share. The percentage of CH4 emissions from agriculture out of all CH4 emissions increased
from 10% in 1996 to 15% in 2003. This increase resulted mostly from a decrease in
emissions in the waste management sector as a result of methane collection at landfills.
During 2004–2011, the percentage of methane emissions from agriculture out of all methane
emissions did not change substantially, and ranged between 14% and 15%.
2,000
15: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE, BY TYPE
(including emissions from electricity consumption and fuel combustion),
DURING 1996, 2006, AND 2011
1,750
1,500
1,250
1,000
750
500
250
0
Methane
Nitrous oxide
1996
2006
Carbon dioxide
2011
Diagram 16 shows that the source of most of the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture
is animal production. During the years investigated, there was an upward trend in emissions
from animal production due to increased animal production on the farms. Emissions from
crop plants increased until 2007, then decreased until 2010, mostly due to a decrease in the
fertilizer input. In 2011, there was a slight increase in emissions of greenhouse gases from
crop plants.
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16: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE, BY MAIN
SOURCE (excluding emissions from electricity consumption and fuel
combustion) 1996–2011(1)
Thousand tons, as CO2 equivalent
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2000
1996
0
Greenhouse gas emissions from animal production
Greenhouse gas emissions from crop plants
(1)
No data were available for the years 1997–1999 and 2001–2002.
Diagram 17 shows that there are numerous and varied sources for nitrous oxide (N2O)
emissions. The largest sources were: fertilizers after evaporation, sinking, and leaching
(330,077 tons); treatment of manure (295,039 tons); and animal manure spread on
agricultural soil (254,384 tons).
Tons, as CO2 equivalent
350,000
17: NITROUS OXIDE (N2O) EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE, BY SOURCE
2011
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Fertilizers –
after
evaporation,
sinking, and
leaching
Manure
treatment
Manure
Remains of Synthetic
Emissions
spread on
crops in fertilizers – from animal
agricultural
fields
portion
grazing
land
sinking into
soil
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Nitrogenbinding
crops
Organic soil
New Zealand is the country with the highest ratio of greenhouse gas emissions from
agriculture per dunam: approximately 10 tons per dunam (Diagram 18). Next, after a large
gap, are Ireland with 2 tons per dunam, and the Netherlands with 1.5 tons per dunam.
12
18: GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE,
IN SELECTED OECD COUNTRIES
2009
10
8
6
4
2
0.8
0
New Zealand
Ireland
Netherlands
Switzerland
Belgium
South Korea
Luxembourg
Slovenia
Israel
United
Japan
Germany
Austria
Norway
Iceland
France
Denmark
Portugal
Australia
Czech
Sweden
Poland
United States
Finland
Spain
Slovakia
Estonia
Hungary
Canada
Turkey
Tons, as CO2 equivalent per dunam of agricultural soil
Hungary, Canada, and Turkey have the lowest ratios of greenhouse gas emissions from
agriculture per dunam: 0.17, 0.14, and 0.1 tons per dunam, respectively. In Israel, the ratio is
0.8 tons per dunam of agricultural soil.
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3.5
Terms, Definitions, and Explanations

Greenhouse gas – A gas occurring naturally or resulting from human activity, and
contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming.

Ozone – A greenhouse gas produced by photochemical reactions between
hydrocarbons and nitrous oxides.

Methane – A colourless, non-poisonous, and flammable hydrocarbon greenhouse
gas created by anaerobic decomposition of organic compounds.

Nitrous oxide – A greenhouse gas produced from fuel combustion and microbial
processes in soil and on water, which are caused by the use of fertilizers that contain
nitrogen.
3.6
Sources of the Data

Emissions data were calculated at the Agriculture, Environment, and Energy Sector
of the ICBS, following IPCC guidelines (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change).

International comparison data were from OECD publications:
http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/sustainable-agriculture/agri-environmentalindicators.htm

Israel Electric Corporation, statistical reports:
http://www.iec.co.il/investors/Pages/StatisticalReports.aspx (Hebrew only)
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