Global agricultural organisations call for “split-gas” greenhouse-gas reporting from farms
More than 30 agricultural groups from 14 countries — including the US, UK, Canada and Australia — have jointly called on governments and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to adopt a “split-gas” approach when reporting farm-sector greenhouse-gas emissions, separating methane and long-lived gases to better reflect livestock and agriculture impacts.
A coalition of over thirty agricultural industry organisations spanning fourteen countries — including the Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), the National Farmers Union (UK), the United States Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, the Canadian Cattle Association, and Australia’s key farming bodies — have issued a joint statement calling for a rework of how greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are reported. Their primary argument: methane and long-lived gases (like CO₂ and N₂O) should be accounted for separately, reflecting their different warming potentials and time-scales.
The groups emphasise that the traditional method of bundling all emissions under one metric (GWP100) obscures critical distinctions — for example, methane has a much stronger short-term warming effect but a much shorter atmospheric lifespan. They argue that failing to differentiate these gases leads to misleading targets and audit frameworks, particularly for livestock and pasture systems. In effect, farm sectors claim they are being unfairly penalised under frameworks designed for fossil-fuel emissions.
The push for “split-gas” emissions accounting comes at a pivotal time. Many countries are revising their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the UNFCCC and turning to agriculture to help meet climate goals. The farm organisations warn that if reporting frameworks continue to treat all gases equally, policy may default to simply reducing livestock numbers or cropland use — rather than investing in innovation, improved practices and productivity. They say this could threaten global food security.
From a trade and industry standpoint, the statement could have wide implications. Countries like Australia, Canada, the US and UK are major exporters of agricultural-based goods (meat, dairy, grains). The way farm emissions are counted influences international market access, sustainability certifications, and border-carbon adjustments. The farming organisations view this move as essential to protect the competitiveness of their sectors and to avoid a scenario where agriculture is treated as the “easy target” for emissions-cuts compared to manufacturing or energy sectors.
Looking ahead, industry bodies propose that governments embed split-gas reporting into national policy, back it with specific incentives for methane-reduction technologies (like feed additives, improved animal genetics, pasture-management) and align trade-rules accordingly. “Our aim is to be part of the solution — but we must be treated fairly in the climate-accounting systems,” said B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland. The call sets the stage for potentially significant changes in how agriculture is regulated, counted and traded globally.
