Sharp drop in EU greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture sector

GREENHOUSE gas emissions from the European Union agriculture sector, notably livestock, have dropped sharply since 1990 but those in other sectors of the economy, such as transport, continue to rise.

Copa-Cogeca, the umbrella bodies for European farmers and agri co-ops, made the claims in the run-up to the United Nations Copenhagen Summit on climate change later this month.

They estimate that emissions from the EU-27 agriculture sector, including livestock, have fallen by as much as 20% over the 1990-2007 period.