MoEFCC submission to UNFCCC shows agricultural emissions are still rising

Agriculture remains the second-largest contributor to India’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although the share of agriculture in total emissions dipped slightly from 14.4 per cent to 13.4 per cent from 2016 to 2019, the absolute emissions from the sector still rose by 3.2 per cent, reaching 421 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e).

This trend suggests a potential decoupling of agricultural emissions from overall growth, possibly due to a faster rise in emissions from other sectors like energy and industry. 

The total emissions due to agriculture increased by 4.5 per cent, to 2,647 MtCO2e in 2019 from 2,531 MtCO2e in 2016. The findings are reported in the Third National Communication and Initial Adaptation Communication, submitted by the Union ministry of environment, forests, and climate change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Change in GHG emissions from agriculture between 2016 -2019 (in MtCO2e)

Source: Third Biannual Update Report 2016, and Third National Communication 2023

A GHG emission source from the agricultural sector stems from methane produced during livestock enteric fermentation, which is a natural part of the digestive process in animals like cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo. Other major GHG sources in the sector are rice cultivation and nitrous oxide emitted from agricultural soil. 

Collectively, these sources contribute to more than 90 per cent of the total agricultural emissions. Additional emissions arise from manure management and field burning of agricultural residue. 

Interestingly, except for the field burning of agricultural residue, all other sub-sectors saw an increase in emissions.  Methane emissions from enteric fermentation in livestock increased marginally by 0.2 per cent, owing to an overall increase in animal population, including a significant 10 per cent increase in the number of cross-bred cattle, the report stated. 

Methane emissions from rice increased by 3 per cent as the area under cultivation increased. The area under rice was 43.1 million hectares (Mha) in 2016 which reached 43.6 Mha in. 2019. However, during the same time period, the share of multiple aeration water regimes that save water and reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation increased from 12.4 per cent in 2016 to 21.9 per cent, representing a net increase of 9.5 percentage points. 

Notably, nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soil exhibited the most substantial rise at 13.6 per cent, attributed to increased synthetic fertiliser-based nitrogen consumption. While manure management contributed 1 per cent increase to the sector's emissions, crop residue burning was the sole sub-sector within agriculture that demonstrated a decrease, recording a 5.4 per cent reduction. 

While India’s voluntary declaration excludes specific mitigation activities and emissions reductions in agriculture, considering them survival emissions essential for the food and nutritional security of the country, the report emphasised the crucial role of adaptation in the agriculture sector, particularly in the face of significant climate risks and disasters. 

The report further discussed initiatives taken by the country to make agriculture more sustainable. However, while it delves into the adaptive measures taken for various agricultural sub-sectors, this report, unlike the third biannual update report of 2016, overlooks any adaptation measures specifically addressing the livestock sector, despite its being the biggest contributor to agriculture emissions. 

Additionally, while the nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soil are going up, details on which crops and soils are emitting how much are currently missing.

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