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No. 384: Determination of greenhouse gas emissions from low-lying soils. Version 3.0

Gyldenkærne, S. & Greve, M.H. 2020. Bestemmelse af drivhusgasemissionen fra lavbundsjorde. Version 3.0. Aarhus Universitet, DCE – Nationalt Center for Miljø og Energi, 46 s. - Videnskabelig rapport nr. 384
http://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR384.pdf

Summary

This report describes how changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be estimated by changing land use and by a changed water table within an area. Focus is on agricultural land use and organic soils. The method described, are to be used in connection with applications made with the Danish act on subsidies for wetland projects and projects on carbonaceous, drained organic soils (Bekendtgørelse om tilskud til vådområdeprojekter og naturprojekter på kulstofrige lavbundsjorder (BEK nr. 1523 af 16/12/2019)) in mind and in force at the time in question (under the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark).

Furthermore, the report describes supplemental measurements, which should be made when wetlands are reestablished, as well as demands for analysis and which measurements should be reported to the Ministry. Following the report is mandatory for areas under the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark’s regulation on funding for the Danish act on subsidies for wetland projects and projects on carbonaceous, drained organic soils under BEK no. 1523 of 16/12/2019) and later, but can also be used in other projects.

Measurements of real GHG emissions is complicated, time consuming and expensive and is not included in this report. Areas, which is funded for wetlands restoration will be registered in the cadastral maps, which include ban on cultivation, fertilization and pesticide application as well as that the area will be registered as wetland. Grazing and harvesting of biomass will still be allowed.

The metodology used to estimate changes in GHG is primarily based on Thiemeyer et al. (2020) which is based on German measurements combined with IPCC default values (IPCC, 2014). These are combined with a national map of organic soils, which can be found at: www.vandprojekter.dk, field maps from the EU Land Parcel Information System (LPIS). As tool for estimating the GHG emission is developed an Excel spreadsheet which also can be found at www.vandprojekter.dk (Version 3.0).