[Public Voices] Why Scientific Greenhouse Gas Emission Assessment Matters

Calculating Carbon Footprints of Hanwoo and Dairy Cattle Following IPCC International Guidelines
Utilizing Low-Carbon Livestock Certification Systems

Im Gi-sun, Director of the National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration.

A country has emerged as the world's first to impose a carbon tax in the agricultural sector. It is Denmark, a major exporter of dairy products and pork. The Danish government announced that it will impose a tax of 300 kroner (about 60,000 KRW) per ton of carbon dioxide emitted from farms starting in 2030. It is estimated that the carbon tax will reduce 70% of Denmark's emission reduction target by 2030. To implement policies for greenhouse gas reduction like Denmark, a method to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from farms must be established. So, how can scientifically grounded and reliable greenhouse gas emission information be obtained?

Greenhouse gas reduction research can be broadly divided into 'greenhouse gas emission assessment' and 'greenhouse gas reduction technologies.' Greenhouse gas reduction technologies are applied technologies that slow the pace of climate change, such as methane-reducing feed. Greenhouse gas emission assessment is a fundamental area that creates standards to compare emission differences before and after applying low-carbon technologies. Proper emission assessment is necessary for developed technologies to be effectively utilized.

Methods for greenhouse gas emission assessment include the 'national inventory,' which uses national statistical data by industry and emission factors quantifying emissions by source, and 'life cycle environmental impact assessment,' which reflects all greenhouse gases and environmental impacts generated throughout the entire process from product production to disposal.

The national inventory is a method for estimating national-level greenhouse gas emissions based on international common guidelines proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC published the "IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories" three times?in 1996, 2006, and 2019?compiling related research results worldwide. South Korea has also been estimating and reporting national greenhouse gas emission statistics since 2012, centered on the Ministry of Environment's Greenhouse Gas Comprehensive Information Center. Among these, emissions from the livestock sector are estimated by the National Institute of Animal Science.

Although the IPCC guidelines are international common guidelines, the IPCC recommends developing emission and absorption factors reflecting each country's unique industrial environment to estimate emissions more accurately. Accordingly, since 2018, the National Institute of Animal Science has developed 17 national-specific factors, including the enteric fermentation methane emission factor for Hanwoo cattle, and is utilizing them in national inventory estimation. They plan to develop and register 33 factors by 2027.

Life cycle assessment is a well-known method for calculating the carbon footprint. For example, it calculates the total carbon emissions by considering the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during feed production, livestock rearing, manure management, and the electricity and fuel used in barn operations to produce 1 kg of meat. This can be used for low-carbon livestock product certification systems. The National Institute of Animal Science, in collaboration with Seoul National University, calculated the carbon footprint for Hanwoo and dairy cows until last year, and this year is conducting research on pigs and chickens.

Greenhouse gas emission assessment methods are necessary not only for national statistics calculation but also for evaluating reduction amounts and establishing long-term reduction plans. Even if excellent low-carbon technologies are developed, if their reduction effects cannot be quantified, those technologies are likely to remain 'unstrung beads.' Policies like Denmark's carbon tax can only be implemented and sustained based on reliable greenhouse gas emission estimation standards and evidence, along with stakeholder consensus.

In any endeavor, fundamentals are important. Even if research requires much time and effort, it is essential to properly assess basic units to ensure that greenhouse gas reduction efforts proceed correctly and sustainably.

Lim Gi-sun, Director of the National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration