In Lower Saxony's agriculture, methane emissions from cattle account for the largest share of greenhouse gases. According to a report by the Oldenburg Chamber of Agriculture, total emissions in 2023 amounted to 12.3 million tons of CO2 equivalent. The decline since 1990 is noticeable but below the national average.
The Oldenburg Chamber of Agriculture analyzed emissions in Lower Saxony's agricultural sector for 2023 in its latest greenhouse gas report. Methane gas, released by ruminants like cattle and sheep during digestion, accounts for the largest share. Total emissions equated to 12.3 million tons of CO2. Of this, 63 percent was methane, equivalent to 7.7 million tons of CO2, with 5.5 million tons from ruminants and 5.1 million tons from cattle alone.
Other emissions include nitrous oxide from nitrogen processes in the soil, equivalent to 4.1 million tons of CO2, and 0.5 million tons of direct CO2 emissions from fertilization with urea and lime. Compared to 1990, when 13.4 million tons of CO2 were emitted, output in Lower Saxony fell by 8.2 percent. Nationally, agricultural emissions dropped by 25.2 percent to 63 million tons, representing 9.3 percent of total German emissions. Lower Saxony's share is 23 percent of national agricultural emissions.
The decline is mainly attributed to the reduction in animal stocks since reunification. Methane emissions from ruminants decreased by nearly 30 percent. Animal numbers have also fallen in Lower Saxony, explaining the lower output. The report highlights cattle as the primary source of methane in the region.