Dossier

Emission inventories: Accounting for climate protection

Roland Fuß, Cora Vos, Claus Rösemann, Andreas Gensior, Sophie Drexler, Wolfgang Stümer, Sebastian Rüter | 16.03.2023

AK Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture

HF Institute of Wood Research WO Institute of Forest Ecosystems

Being a member of international agreements on climate protection and air pollution control it is Germany’s declared aim to reduce the output of climate-harmful gases (Greenhouse Gases) and air pollutants. Scientific inventories provide the required data.

The picture shows three hands, one hand forms a C, another an O and the third shows two fingers for CO2

In the annual NIR (National Inventory Report on greenhouse gases) and IIR (National Informative Inventory Report on air pollutants) the Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) publishes the most recent data on the overall emission situation in Germany. For the sectors of agriculture, forestry and other land use, the Thünen Institute establishes the national emission inventories on behalf of the BMEL (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture). The greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) as well as the air pollutants ammonia (NH₃), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), volatile solids (NMVOC) and particulate matter are reported.

The scientific inventories of the Thünen-Institute provide information about sources and sinks of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Main causes of emissions as well as critical regions are identified, and the underlying processes are investigated.

Emission inventories document the development of the emission situation over time. They allow the effectiveness of measures for climate protection and air pollution control to be reviewed, as well as the controlling of international reduction commitments.

Facts & Figures

Emissions of ammonia from agriculture

The emission of ammonia leads to the formation of harmful fine dust through reaction with other air pollutants. Via the input of nitrogen, ammonia also leads to the eutrophication of near-natural ecosystems. Through further conversion processes, ammonia emissions contribute to soil acidification, groundwater pollution and indirect emissions of nitrous oxide.

Emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture

In 2022, German agriculture was responsible for the emission of about 53.3 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. This corresponds to 7.1 % of the overall emissions in Germany. Main sources are emissions of methane from animal husbandry and nitrous oxide from agricultural soils.

Emissions of greenhouse gases from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF)

In 2021, the net greenhouse gas emissions from the LULUCF sector amounted to 4 million tonnes (Mt) carbon dioxide – equivalents (eq.). Unlike in the years up to 2019, the sector thus acted as a source of greenhouse gases.

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