Work

Framework for quantification of land use–based greenhouse gas emissions according to crop and farm type

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cultivated organic soils are a significant greenhouse gas source and a challenge to climate change mitigation. In this article, a framework to quantify land use– and land use change–related CO 2 emissions simultaneously for all relevant farm types and crops within the case study area, Finland, is presented. First, two independent, parcel-specific soil type data sets are compared to assess their dis/agreement on the presence of organic and mineral soils. Then, emission intensities for crops and farms are calculated. Furthermore, the distribution of reliance on organic soils across Finnish farms is studied and the share of farms most vulnerable to potential emission mitigation measures limiting cultivation on organic soils quantified. As for the presence of emission-intensive organic soils, the data sets had a significant disagreement in almost half of the parcels likely due to methodological differences and validation challenges. Dairy, non-dairy cattle, and fodder and pasture farms had the highest emission per hectare, driven by high shares of organic soils. Regarding crops, oilseed crops had the highest and sugar beet the lowest CO 2 per kg intensities. Differences stemmed from varying organic soil prevalence and yields. Twenty-two percent of farms cultivated 90% of field parcels on organic soils. For 230 farms, dependency on organic soils was very high, making them particularly vulnerable to potential mitigation measures limiting cultivation of organic soils. The framework can be used to provide input for further food system sustainability analyses and to understand the farm-level viability and justice implications of emission mitigation measures targeting organic fields. • Land use greenhouse gas intensity varies between and within farm- and crop types. • Intensities are driven by organic soils and harvest yields in combination. • Two soil type datasets agree on emission hotspots but not on parcel-level soil type. • Dairy and non-dairy cattle farms show high land use emission intensity. • Amongst crops, oilseed crops and cereals have high intensities.

Source: Journal of Cleaner Production

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145111

Authors: Henri Virkkunen, Juha Riihimäki, Jani Salminen, Hannu Savolainen

Institution: Finnish Environment Institute

Language: English

Topic: Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Zero hunger, Life on land, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,660