Agriculture a major cause of air pollution

Food cultivation is the dominant source of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) in ambient air in Europe, the central US and parts of China, according to a new study from the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Agricultural air pollution comes mainly in the form of ammonia (NH₃), which enters the air as a gas from heavily fertilized fields and livestock waste. It blows in over cities, reacts with emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and sulphur (SO₂) from traffic and industry, and leads to the formation of so-called secondary particles. The combination of intensive agriculture, traffic and industry is unfortunately quite typical for some of the most populated parts of North America, Europe and Asia, which means that these particles are formed where they can cause a lot of damage.

The researchers used a global model to study the origin of fine particulate matter in different regions of the world. They divided the emission sources into three categories: natural, anthropogenic non-agricultural and agricultural. Agricultural emissions were defined as the change that occurred if all agricultural activities were turned on and off.

In Europe, emission precursors from fertilizers and livestock were responsible for 55 per cent of the anthropogenic PM_2.5. In the US, agricultural emissions represented around half of the human caused emissions. China shows the highest level of agriculture-related PM in absolute figures, and slightly less than half of the anthropogenic PM pollution. India is the only region in the study where agricultural emissions are less significant for PM_2.5 levels in ambient air.

Source: The Earth Institute at Columbia University, 16 May 2016 http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/3281

Geophysical Research Letters, 16 May 2016, “Significant atmospheric aerosol pollution caused by world food cultivation”

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Main menu

Agriculture a major cause of air pollution

In this issue

IMO confirms 2020 date

Editorial: Global sulphur cap in 2020

End derogations for polluting coal plants

A Europe powered only with renewable energy

Small is beautiful

Initiative to boost soil carbon

Multiple actions needed to reduce food emissions

Climate target for agriculture

Air pollution costs trillions

Germany’s slow decarbonisation

Proposed gas strategy is a gamble with the climate

Phasing out fossil fuel power is essential

Unique oppurtunity for Ukraine

Greening transport with more electric vehicles

New diesel cars still emit up to 15 times too much NOx

European emission trends updated

Industry does not need CCS

NOAA: Reefs are boiled to death

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

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