Development Of A Methodology To Estimate Ghgs Produced By The Beef Chain In Argentina

Abstract

The world is nowadays facing a great challenge: the production of food in harmony with the environment. Air pollution resulting from livestock activities and the existing possible solutions are shown as elements of vital importance. This fact definitely leads us to consider this issue from the global, national and local point of view. Each country faces different situations in terms of emissions which result directly from the production activities circumstances. Livestock in Argentina represents a substantial portion of the agricultural activities. Therefore, emissions produced become critical to any climate change mitigation and adaptation policy. Currently, satellite data can be obtained from an atmosphere scanning with territorial and temporal segregation. This information makes possible to achieve a global worldwide coverage, however, of low accuracy. Although it is not possible to identify sources and specific sumps, data on large areas can be achieved. Within this context, this project5 has been framed mainly focused on the creation of estimates of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced by the beef value chain in Argentine on different production scenarios. This Study has been carried out and promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, managed and coordinated by the National University of Tres de Febrero -UNTREF- and developed under the technical advice of AACREA [Argentine Association of Regional Consortiums for Agricultural Experimentation]. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of a model in order to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases in the Argentine beef chain on different scenarios for the 2013-2014 period and to propose, on said basis, production models and functional marketing in line with the environmental objectives.