NERI Technical report no. 213: Opgørelse af CO2-emissioner fra arealanvendelse og ændringer i arealanvendelse LULUCF (Land use, Land Use Change and Forestry). Metodebeskrivelse samt opgørelse for 1990-2003. Gyldenkærne, S., Münier, B., Olesen, J.E., Olesen, S.E., Petersen, B.M. & Christensen, B.T. 2005. 81 pp.

 

English summary

This report estimates the Danish green house gasses (GHG) from land use and land use change (LULUCF).

 

This includes organic soils, fruit trees and fruit berries, reestablishment of wetlands and changed water tables in certain agricultural areas. Furthermore, plantation of hedgerows, liming, peat excavation and peat used for horticultural purposes are included. Two models for emission/carbon sequestration from mineral soils are presented. However, due to great discrepancies between the two models no estimates of the emission from mineral soils are given until a more detailed analysis of the two models has been carried out. Estimates of emissions/carbon sequestration from forest are not included here as they are made separately by the Department of Forest and Landscape, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark.

 

In 1990 a total net-emission of 3.3 M tonnes CO2-eqv. was estimated. The emission in 2003 is estimated to 2.6 M tonnes CO2-eqv.

 

The emission estimates for LULUC(F) as a whole, are quite uncertain due to methodological problems.

 

Utilisation of organic soils for agricultural purposes is responsible for an emission of 2,6 M tonnes CO2-eqv y-1 in 1990. Towards 2003 the emission is slightly reduced due to a reduced agricultural area.

 

Reestablishment of wetlands since 1998 are estimated to be responsible for a net decrease of 0.06 M tonnes CO2-eqv. y-1 in 2003. This figure will increase in the future due to an increased area with re-established wetlands.

 

A governmental subsidised programme for increasing the hedgerows in Denmark is included in the emission estimates. Inclusion of the programme in the emission inventory has increased the carbon sequestration from 1990 to 2003 by 0.15 M ton CO2-eqv. This effect will only be achieved if the current plantation with new hedgerows of 1,000 km y-1 continues in the future.

 

Approximately 900 hectares of raised bogs are open for peat excavation. Using a Tier 1 model this adds to the Danish green house gas (GHG) emission with 180 tons CO2-eqv. y-1. The consumption of peat for horticultural purposes has a more pronounced effect on the emission estimate. Assuming the simplified assumption that all applied peat is converted to CO2 in the year of application, the use of peat for horticultural purposes is responsible for an annual emission of approximately 0.12 M tonnes CO2-eqv. y-1.

 

The area with fruit trees and fruit berries has been very constant of approximately 8,300 hectares since 1990. The small changes in the area have only very limited effect on the Danish GHG emission.

 

The lime consumption has been reduced by 60% since 1990. Inclusion of liming in the Danish inventory increased the emission level by 0.56 M tonnes CO2-eqv. y-1 in 1990. In 2003 the emission from liming is estimated to 0.23 M tonnes CO2-eqv. y-1 .

 

No decision has been made as to whether Denmark will include GHG emissions from land use and land use change in the commitments under the Kyoto-protocol.

 

Full report in pdf-format (2.653 kB).