The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases was proposed in 2009 and now has over 30 member countries. It aims to understand agricultural GHG emissions and improve measurement methods. Its goals are to develop ways to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration while maintaining agricultural productivity. The Alliance coordinates several research groups on livestock, croplands, paddy rice, inventories and soil carbon-nitrogen cycles. It facilitates international collaboration and technology sharing to leverage resources and accelerate mitigation research. An example project is GRACEnet, a US-led effort establishing sites to evaluate soil carbon storage and GHG fluxes under different farming systems.
Global Research Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gasses
1. Enhancing cooperation inEnhancing cooperation in
agricultural greenhouse gas research
Steven ShaferSteven Shafer
US Dept. of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Serviceg
2. Thank you to the Alliance’s
group coordinators forg p
contributing to this
presentation.
3. The Global Research Alliance onThe Global Research Alliance on
Agricultural Greenhouse Gases
• Proposed in 2009 by New Zealand
• Development in partnership with the
United States and others
• 21 countries at COP15 in
Copenhagen endorsed a JointCopenhagen endorsed a Joint
Ministerial Statement on the
Establishment of a Global Research
Alliance on Agricultural GreenhouseAlliance on Agricultural Greenhouse
Gases
3
4. Alliance Members
Website List 7 November 2011
• Argentina
A t li
• Japan
M l i• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Denmark
• Norway
• Peru
• Philippines
• Republic of Korea• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Republic of Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Ghana
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Italy
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Uruguay
• Vietnam• Italy • Vietnam
4
5. The Global Research Alliance
on Agricultural Greenhouse Gaseson Agricultural Greenhouse Gases
in brief
•• Understand GHG emissions from agricultureUnderstand GHG emissions from agriculture
•• Improve measurement and estimation of GHGImprove measurement and estimation of GHG
emissions and C sequestrationemissions and C sequestration
•• Understand GHG emissions from agricultureUnderstand GHG emissions from agriculture
•• Improve measurement and estimation of GHGImprove measurement and estimation of GHG
emissions and C sequestrationemissions and C sequestrationemissions and C sequestrationemissions and C sequestration
•• Develop ways to reduce emissionsDevelop ways to reduce emissions
•• Develop ways to increase C sequestrationDevelop ways to increase C sequestration
emissions and C sequestrationemissions and C sequestration
•• Develop ways to reduce emissionsDevelop ways to reduce emissions
•• Develop ways to increase C sequestrationDevelop ways to increase C sequestrationp y qp y q
•• Mitigate GHGs while sustaining or enhancingMitigate GHGs while sustaining or enhancing
productivity and resilience as climate changesproductivity and resilience as climate changes
p y qp y q
•• Mitigate GHGs while sustaining or enhancingMitigate GHGs while sustaining or enhancing
productivity and resilience as climate changesproductivity and resilience as climate changes
•• Transfer new knowledge and technology toTransfer new knowledge and technology to
farmers/land managers worldwidefarmers/land managers worldwide
•• Build scientific capacity in developing countries viaBuild scientific capacity in developing countries via
•• Transfer new knowledge and technology toTransfer new knowledge and technology to
farmers/land managers worldwidefarmers/land managers worldwide
•• Build scientific capacity in developing countries viaBuild scientific capacity in developing countries via•• Build scientific capacity in developing countries viaBuild scientific capacity in developing countries via
partnershipspartnerships
•• Build scientific capacity in developing countries viaBuild scientific capacity in developing countries via
partnershipspartnerships
5
6. Country
Participation
• Based on interest,
resources capacity
a t c pat o
resources, capacity
• Encourage and seek
opportunities for expanded
funding of research,
technology transfer
• Scientific exchanges and• Scientific exchanges and
partnerships to leverage
resources, expertise
6
7. Our Collective Vision
• Increase agriculture production with lower emissions
Feeding the world within the carrying capacity of earth
• Improve global cooperation in research & technology
Accelerate/strengthen knowledge and technologyAccelerate/strengthen knowledge and technology
development that would not happen without the Alliance
• Work with farmers and partners provide knowledge• Work with farmers and partners, provide knowledge
Develop relevant mitigation options and strengthen
productivity and resilience of food systems
9. Ki k ff i W lli t A il 2010
The Journey So Far
• Kick-off in Wellington April 2010
• Extensive concerted stock take
• 1st Group meetings September – November 2010
• 2nd Group meetings March 2011 (France)
• Charter signed, Council’s first meeting – June 2011 (Rome)
C il d f t ti b tCouncil composed of one representative per member country.
Council provides leadership, broad policy development for the scientific groups
Council makes decisions by consensus
• Other group meetings, workshops
Stock Take
Ambition
&
Vi i
Action Plan
Vision
11. Secretariat hosted
by New Zealand
• Coordination amongg
the groups, Council
• Internal and external
communications
• Logistics and
support for
meetingsg
• Coordination for
policy development,
membership,p,
partnerships
• Alliance website
www.globalresearchalliance.org
12. Livestock Research Group
Coordinated by the Netherlands and New Zealand
• Livestock is key agricultural sector in all regions with
GHG emissions arise from animals, manure, and soils
Stocktake shows more than 40% of all current research
is in livestock; two thirds funded by governments
• Almost all Alliance members participate
is in livestock; two thirds funded by governments
• Two subgroups:
Ruminants
(rumen and soils) Non Ruminants
(manure)
AR1
14. Paddy Rice Group
• Rice is staple food for > 2 billion people
• Paddy rice cultivation systems have different GHG
i i th th i temissions than other cropping systems
• 18 countries are members of the paddy rice group
• Coordinated by Japan and Uruguay
• Stocktake shows currently 64 research projects
d i 16 diff t t iunderway in 16 different countries
− Two major topics: GHG accounting/LCA and agronomy
− Two primary outcomes: mitigation and inventory
15. Croplands Group
• Coordinated by the United States
• Action Plan components
Management and net GHG emissions:Management and net GHG emissions:
France, United States
Emission of GHGs in agricultural peatlands and wetlands:
NNorway
Models for C and N emissions: France
• Focus areas
Establish scientific teams; develop literature database;
standardize protocols; initiate collaborative research
16. Inventories and Measurement
C C tti GCross-Cutting Group
(CANADA / NETHERLANDS )
Concentrate on addressing issues that affect and
benefit more than one Research Group
Complement and support the Research Groups• Complement and support the Research Groups
• Further consistent methodological approaches
Information, knowledge, and data sharingInformation, knowledge, and data sharing
• Inventory methods, common priorities for collaboration
• Improve quantification of emissions and mitigation actions
W k h N b 8 10 2011 i C d• Workshop November 8-10, 2011 in Canada
Guidelines for measurements
• Improve comparability coherence quality verifiability• Improve comparability, coherence, quality, verifiability
17. Soil Carbon-Nitrogen Cycles
Cross C tting Gro pCross-Cutting Group
(FRANCE / AUSTRALIA )
Improved methodologies and models for mitigation
• Define common objectives across Research Groups
• Build a common modelling platform from multiple models
• Build collective expertise on applicability of models,
uncertainty and range of mitigation optionsy g g p
Workshops and activities to advance these goals:
• First workshop (Orléans, March 3, 2011):p ( )
stock-take of C-N models and datasets
• Second workshop (Leuven, July 2011):
model-data intercomparison including hands-on trainingmodel data intercomparison, including hands on training
18. Croplands – Goals & Benefits
R h th t t• Benefits
Reduced GHG emission intensity from croplands while
sustaining or increasing yields through widely available
R h th t
Research that supports
decision-making
sustaining or increasing yields, through widely available
decision-support tools
• Key near- and medium-term outcomes
Research that
predicts
Research that
l iAction plan to guide projects; assessment of GHG emissions
from different management systems; predictive capability of
GHG emissions and soil carbon sequestration
explains
• Critical success factors
Broad participation by scientists in member countries, including
academic, private-sector, and other non-government partnersacademic, private sector, and other non government partners
19. P Sh t T G l fProgress on Short-Term Goals for
the Croplands Groupp p
Develop a library website (US, Australia)
in progress in cooperation with Kansas
State University in the USState University in the US
Develop researcher contact list from
Stocktake (US) in progress
I d il f h S k kIncrease detail from the Stocktake to
support specific partnerships (all)
Develop an inventory of important
l id li h d f il Cprotocols, guidelines, methods for soil C,
GHG flux in crops (US, NZ, Canada) –
early version completed and distributed
20. Progress on Longer-Term Goals for
the Croplands Group
Develop a searchable database – in
progress
Initiate project development – Action Plan
completed, countries’ implementation
proposals distributed
Identify funding opportunities – ongoing
Increase use of GRA website for
communications - ongoing
Propose topics for Cross-Cutting team –p p g
part of Action Plan Component 3
Catalog best mitigation options and
recommendations in each country – not
initiated yet.
21. Croplands Research Group
A i Pl D l dAction Plan Development and
Implementation
Component 1: Quantifying
Net Greenhouse Gas
Emissions in CroplandEmissions in Cropland
Management Systems
Component 2: Assessing
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in
Agricultural Peatlands and
WetlandsWetlands
Component 3: Modeling C
and N Emissions
22. Croplands Research GroupCroplands Research Group
Action Plan Implementation
Component 1: Quantifying Net Greenhouse Gas
Emissions in Cropland Management Systems
Anticipated products, interests
Standardized protocols & methods for determining GHG emissions and
C sequestration
International database on agricultural management influences on GHG
fluxes, C sequestration
Guidelines and practices for minimizing GHG emissions and CGuidelines and practices for minimizing GHG emissions and C
sequestration in different soils, environments, cropping systems
Emissions factors for specific countries
Database of long-term experimental sitesDatabase of long-term experimental sites
Summary documents for decision makers
23. Croplands Research Group
Action Plan Implementation
Component 2: Assessing GHG Emissions in
Agricultural Peatlands and Wetlands
Action Plan Implementation
Agricultural Peatlands and Wetlands
Anticpated products, interests
Global network of experimental sitesp
Overview reports on this topic
Publications/reports on management practices and their
ff i i i heffects on GHG emissions in these systems
GHG datasets for models, management testing
Recommendations to ways to restore peatlands to a state ofRecommendations to ways to restore peatlands to a state of
more naturally occurring ecosystem functioning
24. Croplands Research Group
Component 3: Modeling C and N Emissions
Action Plan Implementation
Component 3: Modeling C and N Emissions
Anticpated products, interests
List of publications using N2O models soil organic CList of publications using N2O models, soil organic C
models
Review articles describing N2O, organic C models
Bibliometric analysis of worldwide scientific literature and
map of research groups
M d l l ti th i f th b t d l b tModel evaluation, synthesis of the best models, best
conditions for each
List of models using a mass balance approach for C and Ng pp
cycling in the same model framework
25. Example of an international researchExample of an international research
partnership project under the Alliance’spartnership project under the Alliance’spartnership project under the Alliance spartnership project under the Alliance s
Croplands Research GroupCroplands Research Group
GGreenhouse gasreenhouse gas RReduction througheduction through AAgriculturalgricultural
CCarbonarbon EEnhancement network:nhancement network: GRACEnetGRACEnet
June 2011 October 2011 Coming 2012
26. GGreenhouse gasreenhouse gas RReduction througheduction through AAgriculturalgricultural
CC bb EE h t t kh t t k GRACE tGRACE tCCarbonarbon EEnhancement network:nhancement network: GRACEnetGRACEnet
USDA ARS GRACEnet Units
• Evaluate soil C status & change in
existing typical and alternative
agricultural systems
• Determine net GHG emission (CO2, CH4
and N2O) of existing and alternative
agricultural systems
• Determine environmental effects (water,
air and soil quality) of new agricultural
systems developed to reduce GHG
emission and increase soil C storagee ss o a d c ease so C s o age
34 Location-coordinated ARS effort
• Core project plan
• Individual scientist project plans
• Peer reviewsPeer reviews
27. GRACEnetGRACEnet
i i•Experiment Scenarios
•Business as usual (current management practices)
•Maximizing C sequestration rate
Mi i i i t GHG i i i l di N O d CH i i•Minimizing net GHG emission including N2O and CH4 emissions
•Maximizing environmental benefits
•Common sampling guidelines•Common sampling guidelines
•Instrumentation development
•GRACEnet database
•Model development, validation, applications
29. GRACEnetGRACEnet
• Products**
•• National GHG flux & C storage databaseNational GHG flux & C storage database
S & th i f ti i d liS & th i f ti i d li•• Summary & synthesis papers for action agencies and policySummary & synthesis papers for action agencies and policy
makersmakers
•• Regional & national guidelines for management practicesRegional & national guidelines for management practices
•• Development & evaluation of computer modelsDevelopment & evaluation of computer modelsDevelopment & evaluation of computer modelsDevelopment & evaluation of computer models
•• FutureFuture
•• Increased NIncreased N22O emphasisO emphasisIncreased NIncreased N22O emphasisO emphasis
•• Specialty crops (vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticulture, etc.)Specialty crops (vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticulture, etc.)
•• Animal systems including increased pasture and rangeAnimal systems including increased pasture and range
•• Decision support & mitigation optionsDecision support & mitigation optionspp g ppp g p
•• Domestic and international collaborationsDomestic and international collaborations
**More than 200 refereed journal articles, books,
b k h t di f fbook chapters, proceedings papers as of from
01/2005 to 10/2011
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/GRACEnet
30.
31. Some recent meetings
Livestock Research Group:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
5 6 N b 2011
Croplands Research Group:
San Antonio, TX, USA
20 October 2011
5-6 November 2011
6th Int. Symposium on Non-CO2
Greenhouse Gases
Annual Soil Science Society Int. Meetings
Soil C/N Cycling
Cross-Cutting Group:
Leuven, Belgium
13 14 J l 201113-14 July 2011
Int. Symposium on Soil
Organic Matter
Paddy Rice Research Group:
Tsukuba, Japan
18 November 2011
32. Benefits of the Alliance
Identify information and technology
needs, which vary among countries.
C di t d l hCoordinate and leverage scarce research
resources.
Highlight the need for increased
i t t i iti ti hinvestment in mitigation research.
Research capacity building in developing
countries.
Information and technology transfer.
International public-private partnerships.