Pathways to Dairy Net Zero (P2DNZ) continues to gain momentum across all workstreams. A major part of this is our robust research program, which focuses on identifying practical pathways for dairy systems worldwide. Led by the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), work for this research program centers on the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. And as highlighted in our latest quarterly webinar — “Pathways to Dairy Net Zero: Research Work Program” — this research is helping pinpoint mitigation approaches that can accelerate climate action in developed dairy markets and emerging economies alike.
Here’s an overview of the researched GHG mitigation options and the potential impact they may have.
P2DNZ’s 16 GHG Mitigation Categories
P2DNZ has classified the original list of over 400 mitigation options into 16 main categories. Each category contains the group of mitigation approaches that produce similar mitigation effects, target the same GHG or mix of GHGs, and are subject to the same barriers to uptake when used in a similar agro-climatic, economic or production system context.
The 16 GHG mitigation categories this resulted in are as follows.
- Improving feed quantity/quality (agronomy; plant breeding; processing)
- Improving productivity per animal
- Methane-inhibiting feed additives
- Breeding program for low-emitting animals
- Use of a methane vaccine
- Manure storage and treatment option
- Use of biodigesters
- Optimizing the feed mix/diet formulations (e.g., improve Energy: Nitrogen ratio)
- Use of urease and nitrification inhibitors
- Reducing overgrazing & nutrient-depleting forage production (C sequestration)
- Other C sequestration methods (e.g., agroforestry)
- Reducing feed loss and waste
- Reducing fertilizer use
- Reducing fossil-fuel use on-farm
- Use of electricity from on- or off-farm renewable sources
- Improved animal health
Following this classification, the research team focused on looking at the potential emissions impact of mitigation options in a number of countries — including the United Kingdom (U.K.) and India — covering different farming system typologies. What follows are two examples of this.
Example 1: Potential Emissions Impact of Mitigation Options in the U.K.
Characterized by high levels of technology uptake and tight margins, the U.K.’s dairy sector — considered the most progressive sector in the U.K. livestock economy — operates at a high level of efficiency relative to other ruminant sectors. Nonetheless, there’s always room for improvement.
The U.K. is implementing a range of systems that will have different economic effects and potentially impact the mitigation measures that can be adopted by local dairy farmers. These systems can be summarized as the following:
- Housed high input: A small but growing number of dairy herds may spend most of their time indoors in modern, well-ventilated and well-lit cattle sheds. This is referred to as “continuous” or “year-round” housing.
- Mixed housed/grazing: Due to the climate, most cows in the U.K. are extensively grazed on grass. The majority of British dairy herds graze during the spring and summer months and are housed for up to six months of the year, usually from late autumn to the end of winter, when the weather is wet and cold and grass stops growing. This practice can vary depending on weather conditions, availability of feed and stage of lactation.
- High use of grazed grass: Outwintering of cattle may occur, which reflects a more extensively managed system. This is a small segment of dairy herds but may be growing in tandem with the trend toward warmer winters, as it reduces the costs of housing.
Considering this, P2DNZ has identified key GHG mitigation practices that could be applied to two U.K. dairy systems: fully housed and mixed housing and grazing. And while 13 of our 16 GHG mitigation categories could have some level of uptake and a correlating reduction in emissions impact (EI), we’ve pinpointed the following six mitigation options as having the highest uptake and EI reduction potential across both systems.
- Improving productivity per animal
- Methane-inhibiting feed additives
- Manure storage, treatment and gas capture
- Urease and nitrification inhibitors
- Reduced fertilizer use
- Electricity from renewable sources
Accounting for these and the other mitigation options, P2DNZ has partitioned the overall effects of each class of mitigation in effects on emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide on a CO2 equivalence (CO2e) basis. Here’s the range of potential GHG mitigation in different U.K. dairy systems:
- High Input, Fully Housed System
- Carbon Dioxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 5.11%
- With maximum uptake → 6.98%
- Methane Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 10.43%
- With maximum uptake → 13.41%
- Nitrous Oxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 5.59%
- With maximum uptake → 7.25%
- Total Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 21.12%
- With maximum uptake → 27.63%
- Medium Input/Medium Output, Mixed Housing and Grazing System
- Carbon Dioxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 3.64%
- With maximum uptake → 5.11%
- Methane Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 8.48%
- With maximum uptake → 11.36%
- Nitrous Oxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 5.23%
- With maximum uptake → 6.86%
- Total Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 17.35%
- With maximum uptake → 23.32%
Example 2: Potential Emissions Impact of Mitigation Options in India
India is the world’s largest and fastest-growing dairy producer. As such, its dairy sector is a major contributor to GHG emissions. And with a highly variable production base — although India has an emerging private sector, 85% of dairy farmers are small and marginal — scaling innovation is challenging. But it’s possible.
With up to 99% of GHG emissions in developing dairy systems like those in India being pre-farm gate, with most emissions coming from enteric fermentation, manure and feed, P2DNZ has identified emission-reducing practices, technologies and innovations that can support a pathway to net zero in India’s dairy sector. These mitigation options include the following:
- Feed and fodder improvements
- Feed additives
- Improved selection and breeding
- Improved animal health
- Manure and waste management alternatives
- Policy-enabling environment for scaling and investment
The main challenge, however, isn’t mitigation options. It’s uptake. Adoption of on-farm dairy practices remains variable in India, with average adoption of practices by farmers ranging between 20% and 60%. Improved feed management, for instance, has been shown to have a 0% to 85% adoption rate in different regions.
Taking this into account, P2DNZ has modeled the range of potential GHG mitigation in India’s small and marginal farm system for both minimum solution uptake and maximum adoption on a CO2e basis. Naturally, maximum uptake will have a more sizable impact on emissions reduction, but the impact that may be experienced with minimum uptake is also encouraging.
Here’s the range of potential GHG mitigation in India’s small and marginal farm system.
- Small and Marginal System
- Carbon Dioxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 3.34%
- With maximum uptake → 5.68%
- Methane Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 12.58%
- With maximum uptake → 25.82%
- Nitrous Oxide Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 3.58%
- With maximum uptake → 6.48%
- Total Mitigation
- With minimum uptake → 19.50%
- With maximum uptake → 37.98%
Mitigation Required to Achieve Net Zero Warming
As the global dairy sector continues identifying and pursuing pathways to achieving net zero GHG emissions, it’s important to acknowledge that we can have an objectively positive impact on global climate before we get there. To be specific, the dairy sector can achieve net zero warming before achieving net zero GHG emissions.
P2DNZ has modeled the amount of GHGs the dairy industry will continue to emit by carrying on with business as usual and the maximum amount of GHGs the sector can emit while having a net zero warming impact. The amounts are as follows.
- GHG Emissions with Business As Usual
- Carbon Dioxide: ~700 Mt CO2e/annum
- Methane: ~1,800 Mt CO2e/annum
- Nitrous Oxide: ~400 Mt CO2e/annum
- Maximum GHG Emissions to Have Net Zero Warming
- Carbon Dioxide: ~275 Mt CO2e/annum
- Methane: ~400 Mt CO2e/annum
- Nitrous Oxide: ~100 Mt CO2e/annum
The gap between the sector’s current GHG emissions and the emission level we need to reach to achieve net zero warming is substantial. Significant mitigation is required. Nonetheless, this research is encouraging.
While mitigation options and uptake rates may vary in the U.K., India, and other developed dairy markets and emerging economies, perfection isn’t a must. Progress is. And working alongside our worldwide partners, P2DNZ is helping the sector continue progressing, ensuring the potential impact of mitigation options is fully realized.
Help P2DNZ Accelerate Climate Action
P2DNZ is working to create a more sustainable future for us all. Ready to get in on the action? Join the movement by signing the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero Declaration.