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Nowlin, Michelle; Spiegel, Emily --- "Much ado about methane: intensive animal agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions" [2017] ELECD 508; in Angelo, Jane Mary; Du Plesis, Anél (eds), "Research Handbook on Climate Change and Agricultural Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) 228

Book Title: Research Handbook on Climate Change and Agricultural Law

Editor(s): Angelo, Jane Mary; Du Plesis, Anél

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781784710637

Section: Chapter 9

Section Title: Much ado about methane: intensive animal agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions

Author(s): Nowlin, Michelle; Spiegel, Emily

Number of pages: 46

Abstract/Description:

Agriculture is both a driver of global climate change and a key partner in the quest for solutions. It is also a critical segment of the world’s economy, and one particularly vulnerable to climate change. Agriculture is a significant source of two of the most potent greenhouse gases: nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), accounting for approximately 70 and 25 percent of emissions, respectively, across all US economic sectors. Of agriculture’s total greenhouse gas contribution, approximately 30 percent is attributed to the livestock sector. Despite the significant role the livestock industry plays in greenhouse gas emissions, it has thus far evaded regulation in the US. Instead, approaches to reducing livestock greenhouse gas emissions have been voluntary, incentive-based, and wholly inadequate to the scale and urgency of the problem. As we seek ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions and forestall the effects of global climate change, we must remove the protections long afforded the agricultural industry and adapt existing regulatory tools to address its contributions. This chapter examines the structure of the US livestock industry and the research quantifying its greenhouse gas emissions. It explores emerging mitigation measures and regulatory tools to address and reduce its contributions. It includes an overview of the approaches to regulating the livestock industry and greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, as well as other voluntary and incentive-based government programs. Key Words: anaerobic digestion, livestock, manure management, greenhouse gases, Farm Bill