The agricultural sector includes emissions from production of livestock and emissions related to the cultivated agricultural area. The emissions sources can be divided into following sub-categories;
In relation to the Danish total emission, the agricultural sector is noted as important contributor for NH3, NOx, TSP, PM10, PM2.5, CH4, N2O and NMVOC. In 2024, the emission shares were 96 %, 23 %, 79 %, 39 %, 10 %, 81 %, 86 % and 44 %, respectively.
According to the IPCC guidelines the emission related to agricultural machinery (tractors, harvesters and other non-road machinery) are reported in the energy sector. The same comment applies to CO2 removals/emissions from agricultural soils, which are included in the LULUCF sector (Land-Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry).
Figure 1 shows the emissions from the agricultural sector, 2024.
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The main parts of the CH4, N2O, NH3 and NMVOC emissions are related to the livestock production. The PM emissions and especially the TSP emissions are dominated by emission from field operations, which includes emissions from crop harvesting, cultivation of soil, and the cleaning and drying of crops.
The most important air pollutant from the agricultural sector is NH3. Approximately 96 % of the national ammonia emission originates from the agricultural sector, while the remaining part originates from stationary combustion, traffic and industrial processes. In 1985, the NH3 emission is estimated to 162 kt NH3 and has since decreased to 67 kt NH3 in 2024, which corresponds to a 58 % reduction. The significant decrease in the ammonia emissions has been a consequence of active national environmental policy in the last thirty years. A string of measures has been introduced to prevent loss of nitrogen from agriculture to the aquatic environment by implementing requirements regarding handling of manure (storage and application) and use of nitrogen content in animal manure. Further requirements have been implemented regarding crops and fertilization, e.g. winter green fields to catch nitrogen, a maximum number of animals per hectare and maximum nitrogen application rates to agricultural crops. These measures have led to a decrease of NH3 emission per produced animal and a decrease in use of inorganic N fertilizer, which all has reduced the overall ammonia emission significantly.
The NH3 emission from animal manure (manure management, grazing and manure applied to soil) accounts for 63 % the total agricultural emission in 2024 and occurs primarily from the cattle- and pig production, which are the most important livestock categories regarding the Danish agricultural production. A decrease in emission from cattle took place from 1985 until 2005, mainly driven by a lower emission from application of animal manure to the fields due to the requirements to handling of manure (ban of broad spreading and shorter time on soil before ploughing). Due to increasing milk yield per cow and EUs milk quota system, the number of cattle decreased until 2005. The NH3 emission from the swine production decreased from 1985 to 2004, despite a significant increase in the meat production from 14.6 million produced fattening pigs in 1985 to 25.1 million in 2004. The lower emissions are a consequence of increased production efficiency through feed strategy and genetic development, resulting in lower NH3 emission per produced pig. From 2005 and onwards, the NH3 emission continues to decrease, though not as rapidly as prior to 2005. The number of dairy cattle is stable, while the total milk production is increased, which is a result of improvements in production efficiency. The production of fattening pigs has decreased from 2004 as a result of a higher export of weaners followed by a fall in number of fattening pigs raised in Denmark. In 2023-2024 all pig production has decreased.
The agricultural PM emission given as PM10 covers 39 % of the overall Danish PM10 emission in 2024. The emission sources from agricultural activities include emissions from dust in animal housing, field operations and field burning of agricultural residues. The agricultural PM10 emission in 1985 is estimated to 12.5 kt PM10 and decreased to 8.0 kt PM10 in 2024 corresponding to a 36 % reduction. The main part of the reduction took place from 1985 to 1990 due to the ban on field burning in 1990. From 1990 until 2024, the decrease is mainly due to lower emission form field operations (harvesting).
Figure 2: Time-series for NH3 and PM10 emissions from the agricultural sector, 1985-2024.
Given in CO2 equivalents, the agricultural sector account for 29 % of the total greenhouse gas emission in 2024 (total incl. LULUCF and indirect CO2). The GHG emissions have decreased from 15.2 million tonnes CO2-equivalents in 1985 to 11.4 million tonnes CO2-equivalents in 2024, which corresponds to a 25 % reduction. The CH4 emission accounts for 61 % of the total agricultural GHG emission, while N2O emission and CO2 covers 37 % and 2 %, respectively.
The CH4 emission primarily originates from the livestock’s digestive processes, whereas a smaller part comes from animal manure, and particularly the slurry. The CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation has decreased from 1985 to 2024, which is mainly due to a decrease in the number of cattle. A contrasting development has taken place in emission from manure management. Structural changes in the sector have led to a move towards the use of slurry-based housing systems, which have higher emission factors than systems with solid manure. Since 2021, CH4 emission from manure management has decreased due to a lower number of pigs and a 2023 law concerning frequent removal of slurry in barns for fattening pigs. The total CH4 emission from 1985 to 2024 has decreased by 11 %.
The N2O emission occurs in the chemical transformation of nitrogen and is therefore closely related to the nitrogen turnover. The most important emission sources are related to animal manure applied to agricultural soils, use of inorganic fertilizers, crop residues returned to the soil and manure management. The total N2O emission from 1985-2024 has decreased by 37 % due to a proactive national environmental policy over the last thirty years to prevent loss of nitrogen from agricultural soil to the aquatic environment. Improvements in use of nitrogen in animal manure and feed efficiency has been the most important drivers to reduce the N2O emission and has led to an almost halving of nitrogen use in inorganic fertilizers.
Some background information can be found here:
NH3 emissions (data from the IIR report)
GHG emissions (data from the NID report)
Other data which the inventories are based on are represented for all years in tables linked below:
Table 1: GHG emission from enteric fermentation and manure management.
Table 2: Implied CH4 emission factor for animals - Enteric fermentation.
Table 3: Implied CH4 emission factor for animals - Manure management.
Table 4: Emission of NH3 from manure management divided on housing, storage, application and grazing.
