The Mediterranean region shows considerable differences in agricultural systems. While North African countries focus mainly on irrigated crops in response to arid climatic conditions, EU countries have implemented more sustainability-oriented policies.
A focus on the components of agricultural land (arable land and permanent cropland), evaluating sustainable practices (fertiliser consumption, methane and nitrous oxide emissions), and finally some composite indexes on animal, plant and food production.
Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land)
Agricultural methane emissions (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent)
Agricultural nitrous oxide emissions (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent)
Livestock production index (2014-2016 = 100)
Crop production index (2014-2016 = 100)
Food production index (2014-2016 = 100)
area_code
ordgeo
Countries
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2021
2022
2022
2022
Portugal
39,623.0
43.2
10.5
9.5
175.8
4,800.0
2,190.0
104.8
113.9
110.3
A
1
Spain
262,284.5
52.5
23.1
10.1
161.1
25,090.0
16,830.0
118.7
87.0
98.8
A
2
France
285,537.5
52.2
32.8
1.9
153.3
38,940.0
29,970.0
93.2
94.7
94.0
A
3
Italy
124,030.3
41.9
24.3
7.3
133.2
21,240.0
11,530.0
102.3
94.0
97.0
A
4
Slovenia
6,109.6
30.3
9.0
2.6
246.4
1,040.0
590.0
101.5
81.8
94.0
A
5
Croatia
14,760.0
26.4
15.3
1.4
208.1
1,290.0
1,340.0
97.8
85.2
89.5
A
6
Greece
58,671.9
45.5
16.5
8.4
150.0
3,660.0
3,350.0
100.1
94.2
102.8
A
7
Malta
87.5
27.3
24.4
4.1
148.7
60.0
20.0
96.3
53.8
76.0
A
8
Cyprus
1,231.3
13.3
10.3
2.8
155.4
200.0
240.0
121.6
85.5
108.7
A
9
Serbia
34,850.0
41.4
31.1
2.4
75.0
3,190.0
2,380.0
107.0
94.6
98.4
B
10
Kosovo
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
B
11
Bosnia and Herzegovina
22,630.0
44.2
19.7
2.1
62.0
1,170.0
830.0
83.8
128.1
113.4
B
12
Montenegro
2,555.6
19.0
0.7
0.4
312.0
270.0
110.0
108.0
89.6
100.6
B
13
North Macedonia
12,600.0
50.0
16.5
1.6
50.5
690.0
370.0
93.2
102.7
100.7
B
14
Albania
11,363.3
41.5
21.9
3.2
101.4
1,600.0
680.0
83.7
121.7
105.4
B
15
Turkiye
380,890.0
49.5
25.8
4.7
129.5
25,810.0
30,860.0
137.3
125.3
128.9
C
16
Syrian Arab Republic
139,133.8
75.8
25.4
5.8
3.9
3,392.4
2,783.0
98.9
96.3
97.0
C
17
Lebanon
6,793.0
66.4
13.6
13.7
146.3
240.0
490.0
123.1
97.9
104.1
C
18
Jordan
10,230.0
11.5
2.2
0.9
138.9
620.0
670.0
130.3
98.4
110.2
C
19
Israel
6,435.0
29.7
17.4
4.7
265.4
610.0
970.0
109.4
99.9
105.5
C
20
West Bank and Gaza
3,912.0
64.9
7.0
11.8
372.0
..
..
104.6
116.8
111.8
C
21
Egypt, Arab Rep.
40,310.0
4.0
3.1
1.0
542.6
9,050.0
13,210.0
119.4
105.2
109.1
D
22
Libya
153,500.0
8.7
1.0
0.2
14.7
1,620.0
1,290.0
120.5
98.4
105.8
D
23
Tunisia
97,005.0
62.4
18.2
13.6
48.0
2,100.0
2,620.0
104.5
111.5
109.6
D
24
Algeria
413,160.7
17.3
3.2
0.4
20.7
7,100.0
5,460.0
98.1
118.2
111.2
D
25
Morocco
302,910.0
67.9
16.8
4.0
55.3
7,680.0
7,980.0
104.6
106.8
106.1
D
26
Agricultural land (sq. km)
KosovoNo data available
Agricultural land (% of land area)
KosovoNo data available
Arable land (% of land area)
KosovoNo data available
Permanent cropland (% of land area)
MaltaLatest available data: 2020
KosovoNo data available
Fertilizer consumption (kilograms per hectare of arable land)
KosovoNo data available
AlbaniaLatest available data: 2020
Agricultural methane emissions (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent)
KosovoNo data available
Syrian Arab RepublicLatest available data: 2020
West Bank and GazaNo data available
Agricultural nitrous oxide emissions (thousand metric tons of CO2 equivalent)
KosovoNo data available
Syrian Arab RepublicLatest available data: 2020
West Bank and GazaNo data available
Livestock production index (2014-2016 = 100)
KosovoNo data available
Crop production index (2014-2016 = 100)
KosovoNo data available
Food production index (2014-2016 = 100)
KosovoNo data available
Some highlighted topics
Healthy, sustainable, and inclusive food systems among countries in the Mediterranean region are key
for achieving development goals in agriculture. In the context of European and international
strategies including the New Agenda for the Mediterranean and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, there is a growing interest in combating climate change, reducing harmful emissions, and
using resources in a sustainable manner.
The Mediterranean region shows considerable differences in agricultural systems. While North African
countries mainly focus on irrigated crops in response to arid climatic conditions, EU countries have
implemented more sustainability-oriented policies, with an increase in ecological agricultural
practices. This divergence requires customized approaches to address local challenges and promote a
transition to more sustainable practices.
Agricultural areas
Compared to the total agricultural area of the region, consisting of about 2 million 430 sq. km., the
largest share of agricultural land is held by the group of North African countries with over 40% (over
1 million sq. km.), while the European Union countries hold a little over 30%, the Middle East
countries about 22% and finally the Western Balkan countries a minimal share (about 3%).
The highest incidence of agricultural land in relation to the total is occupied in the countries of
the European Union by Spain and France (with more than 50%), Italy has a share of about 40%; in the
Western Balkans, Serbia and Bosnia stand out with significant values of agricultural land in absolute
terms and shares that exceed 40%; Among the countries of the Middle East, Syria stands out with a very
high share (about 76%) and Turkey has 49.5%; finally, among the countries of North Africa, Algeria -
despite having the largest agricultural surface area in absolute terms among all the countries of the
Mediterranean area - has a limited incidence with respect to its total surface area (17.3%), whereas
Morocco, the third largest agricultural land in the region, also has a high share in relative terms
(67.9%).
Figure 1 - Agricultural area by type of cultivation. 2021 (% of total area)
...
From a tendential perspective, over the last twenty years there has been substantial stability in the
share of agricultural land in relation to the total area for almost all the main countries in the
Mediterranean region; the countries with the most marked decreasing trends are Italy together with
Spain, Greece, and West Bank and Gaza, those with increasing trends are Croatia and Lebanon.
In the EU countries, the most significant shares of arable crops and woody crops in relation to the
land area are to be found in Spain and Italy (with the former fluctuating at just over 20% and the
latter between 7% and 10%), while France has clearly dominant shares only in the case of arable crops,
with the largest share in the Mediterranean region at over 30% (Figure 1). Within the Western Balkans
macro-region, both Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as Albania have significant shares for arable
crops (between 20% and 30%); among the countries belonging to the Middle East, Turkey and Syria have
significant shares of arable crops, with about a quarter of the total area; finally, among the
countries belonging to the northern shore of Africa there are Tunisia and Morocco with significant
shares but less than 20%. For agricultural woody crops the top three countries in the Mediterranean
area are Lebanon, Tunisia, and West Bank and Gaza, with shares of more than 10% of the total area.
Sustainability in agriculture
To make an ecological transition, sustainable agriculture must ensure reduced pesticide and fertilizer
use and contain greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. In the Mediterranean region, fertilizer
consumption (per hectare of arable land) has been declining across the board since 2007 and 2008, but
with different intensities in individual states and macro-regions. Among the countries of the European
Union, except for Portugal, where an increase in the quantities of fertilizers is recorded during the
twenty years, Spain shows a substantial stability, while France and Italy show a more virtuous
behavior with a constant decrease in quantities: in particular, for France the decrease is from 227.7
in 2001 to 153.3 kg per hectare of cultivable surface in 2021 and for Italy from 168.6 to 133.2. Among
the countries of the Western Balkans, Montenegro shows an appreciable adoption of fertilizers,
increasing since 2013; among the countries of the Middle East, West Bank and Gaza consumes increasing
and more sustained levels and Lebanon, on the other hand, reveals more virtuous behavior by
significantly reducing its consumption over the two decades. Finally, Egypt is the North African
country with the most critical values over the twenty-year period, averaging more than 500 kilos per
hectare of arable land per year.
Like fertilizer consumption, the formation of emissions in agriculture is also a cause of greenhouse
gases generated mainly by methane and nitrous oxide. In absolute terms, the countries with the highest
values are generally the largest in the Mediterranean area, although with different dynamics (Figure
2). Within the European Union, France has methane values in 2021 close to 40,000 thousand tons (CO2
equivalent metric tons) and nitrous oxide values close to 30,000, both decreasing over the 20-year
period. Italy and Spain together at lower levels show substantial stationarity for methane emission
quantities and a slight decrease for nitrous oxide levels between 2001 and 2021. Among the Middle
Eastern countries, Turkey records high values for both methane emissions, which are close to 26,000
thousand tons in 2021, and nitrous oxide emissions, which reach 30,000 thousand tons; in both cases,
an increase of more than 50% compared to 2001. Finally, among the North African countries, it is Egypt
that once again marks the most critical data for both types of emissions (about 10,000 thousand tons
for methane in 2021 - in 2001 it was about 15,000 - and about 13,000 thousand tons for nitrous oxide
in both 2001 and 2021).
Figure 2 - Methane and nitrous oxide emissions in agriculture - 2021 (thousands of metric tons CO2
equivalent)
...
Food, crop, and animal production
The food production index calculated by the World Bank expresses the change in food production volumes
(price-weighted quantities) compared to a base year period (2016-2014 =100). The change in the levels
of this indicator is the result of political and economic choices and is also influenced by the
development of technologies in the agricultural sector. In the countries of the European Union,
decreasing dynamics prevail over the period 2001-2022, except for Portugal, Spain, and Croatia where
there is a growth, with values rising between 2001 and 2022 respectively from 93.2 to 110.3, from 92.3
to 98.8 and from 76.3 to 89.5 (Figure 3). In contrast, the North Africa macro-region shows notably
increasing trends for all countries, assigning growing importance to food production. The Middle East
macro-region shows two discordant trends: while West Bank and Gaza has a decreasing trend (going from
124.1 to 111.8 over the period under review), the other countries show an increasing trend.
The crop production index within the EU countries shows a sustained growth especially for Portugal
(which increases between 2001 and 2002 from 87.7 to 113.9); on the other hand, Malta, Cyprus, and
Italy experience decreases in this indicator over the 20-year period. In the Western Balkans
macro-region, there is an increase especially for Albania (which rises from 53.2 to 121.7); all the
North African countries also show growing variations in the crop production index, mainly in Tunisia,
Algeria, and Morocco.
The livestock production index, on the other hand, shows rather fluctuating trends, with moderate
variations in the EU countries (except for Spain and Croatia where there is a strong increase over the
20-year period) and growth for all the countries belonging to the Western Balkan macro-regions, the
Middle East (except for West Bank and Gaza) and North Africa.
Figure 3 - Food production index by macro-region - 2003/2022 (2014-2016 =100)
...
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Metadata
Indicators
Definition
Land area that is arable, under permanent crops and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
Data are collected through a FAO Questionnaire on Land Use, Irrigation and Agricultural Practices, based on the FAO Land Use classification.
Notes
The FAO Land Use classification is aligned with the UN System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA); the UN Framework for the Development of Environmental Statistics (FDES); and the World Census of Agriculture. It is furthermore consistent with the land use classes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for country reporting to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A mapping between the FAO, SEEA, World Census of Agriculture and IPCC classifications is provided in the FAO Questionnaire.
Share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops and under permanent pastures.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
Data are collected through a FAO Questionnaire on Land Use, Irrigation and Agricultural Practices, based on the FAO Land Use classification.
Notes
The FAO Land Use classification is aligned with the UN System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA); the UN Framework for the Development of Environmental Statistics (FDES); and the World Census of Agriculture. It is furthermore consistent with the land use classes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for country reporting to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A mapping between the FAO, SEEA, World Census of Agriculture and IPCC classifications is provided in the FAO Questionnaire. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.
Presence in policy-oriented statistical systems
SDG Goal 15, indicator 15.1.1; ENP-South Eurostat Data Browser: Area 'Agriculture and fisheries'
Share of land area that is arable land: land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
Data collected through a FAO Questionnaire on Land Use, Irrigation and Agricultural Practices, based on the FAO Land Use classification.
Notes
The FAO Land Use classification is aligned with the UN System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA); the UN Framework for the Development of Environmental Statistics (FDES); and the World Census of Agriculture. It is furthermore consistent with the land use classes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for country reporting to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A mapping between the FAO, SEEA, World Census of Agriculture and IPCC classifications is provided in the FAO Questionnaire.
Share of land area that is permanent cropland: land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
Data collected through a FAO Questionnaire on Land Use, Irrigation and Agricultural Practices, based on the FAO Land Use classification.
Notes
The FAO Land Use classification is aligned with the UN System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA); the UN Framework for the Development of Environmental Statistics (FDES); and the World Census of Agriculture. It is furthermore consistent with the land use classes of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for country reporting to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A mapping between the FAO, SEEA, World Census of Agriculture and IPCC classifications is provided in the FAO Questionnaire.
Presence in policy-oriented statistical systems
SDG Goal 15, indicator 15.1.1; ENP-South Eurostat Data Browser: Area 'Agriculture and fisheries'
Vaue of livestock production for each year relative to the base period 2014-2016. It index includes meat and milk from all sources, dairy products such as cheese, and eggs, honey, raw silk, wool, and hides and skins.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
The index is based on the sum of price-weighted quantities of different agricultural commodities produced after deductions of quantities used as seed and feed weighted in a similar manner. The resulting aggregate represents, therefore, disposable production for any use except as seed and feed. All the indices at the country, regional and world levels are calculated by the Laspeyres formula. Production quantities of each commodity are weighted by 2014-2016 average international commodity prices and summed for each year. To obtain the index, the aggregate for a given year is divided by the average aggregate for the base period 2014-2016. Since the FAO indices are based on the concept of agriculture as a single enterprise, amounts of seed and feed are subtracted from the production data to avoid double counting, once in the production data and once with the crops or livestock produced from them. Deductions for seed (in the case of eggs, for hatching) and for livestock and poultry feed apply to both domestically produced and imported commodities. They cover only primary agricultural products destined to animal feed (e.g. maize, potatoes, milk, etc.). Processed and semi-processed feed items such as bran, oilcakes, meals and molasses have been completely excluded from the calculations at all stages. It should be noted that when calculating indices of agricultural, food and nonfood production, all intermediate primary inputs of agricultural origin are deducted. However, for indices of any other commodity group, only inputs originating from within the same group are deducted; thus, only seed is removed from the group 'crops' and from all crop subgroups, such as cereals, oil crops, etc.; and both feed and seed originating from within the livestock sector (e.g. milk feed, hatching eggs) are removed from the group 'livestock products'. For the main two livestock subgroups, namely, meat and milk, only feed originating from the respective subgroup is removed. Indices which take into account deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''net''. Indices calculated without any deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''gross'. The 'international commodity prices' are used in order to avoid the use of exchange rates for obtaining continental and world aggregates, and also to improve and facilitate international comparative analysis of productivity at the national level. These' international prices,' expressed in so-called 'international dollars,' are derived using a Geary-Khamis formula for the agricultural sector. This method assigns a single 'price' to each commodity. For example, one metric ton of wheat has the same price regardless of the country where it was produced. The currency unit in which the prices are expressed has no influence on the indices published. The commodities covered in the computation of indices of agricultural production are all crops and livestock products originating in each country. Practically all products are covered, with the main exception of fodder crops.
Vaue of agricultural production for each year relative to the base period 2014-2016. It includes all crops except fodder crops.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
The index is based on the sum of price-weighted quantities of different agricultural commodities produced after deductions of quantities used as seed and feed weighted in a similar manner. The resulting aggregate represents, therefore, disposable production for any use except as seed and feed. All the indices at the country, regional and world levels are calculated by the Laspeyres formula. Production quantities of each commodity are weighted by 2014-2016 average international commodity prices and summed for each year. To obtain the index, the aggregate for a given year is divided by the average aggregate for the base period 2014-2016. Since the FAO indices are based on the concept of agriculture as a single enterprise, amounts of seed and feed are subtracted from the production data to avoid double counting, once in the production data and once with the crops or livestock produced from them. Deductions for seed (in the case of eggs, for hatching) and for livestock and poultry feed apply to both domestically produced and imported commodities. They cover only primary agricultural products destined to animal feed (e.g. maize, potatoes, milk, etc.). Processed and semi-processed feed items such as bran, oilcakes, meals and molasses have been completely excluded from the calculations at all stages. It should be noted that when calculating indices of agricultural, food and nonfood production, all intermediate primary inputs of agricultural origin are deducted. However, for indices of any other commodity group, only inputs originating from within the same group are deducted; thus, only seed is removed from the group 'crops' and from all crop subgroups, such as cereals, oil crops, etc.; and both feed and seed originating from within the livestock sector (e.g. milk feed, hatching eggs) are removed from the group 'livestock products'. For the main two livestock subgroups, namely, meat and milk, only feed originating from the respective subgroup is removed. Indices which take into account deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''net''. Indices calculated without any deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''gross'. The 'international commodity prices' are used in order to avoid the use of exchange rates for obtaining continental and world aggregates, and also to improve and facilitate international comparative analysis of productivity at the national level. These' international prices,' expressed in so-called 'international dollars,' are derived using a Geary-Khamis formula** for the agricultural sector. This method assigns a single 'price' to each commodity. For example, one metric ton of wheat has the same price regardless of the country where it was produced. The currency unit in which the prices are expressed has no influence on the indices published. The commodities covered in the computation of indices of agricultural production are all crops and livestock products originating in each country. Practically all products are covered, with the main exception of fodder crops.
Vaue of food production for each year relative to the base period 2014-2016. It covers food crops that are considered edible and that contain nutrients. Coffee and tea are excluded because, although edible, they have no nutritive value.
Sources
FAO
Methodology
The index is based on the sum of price-weighted quantities of different agricultural commodities produced after deductions of quantities used as seed and feed weighted in a similar manner. The resulting aggregate represents, therefore, disposable production for any use except as seed and feed. All the indices at the country, regional and world levels are calculated by the Laspeyres formula. Production quantities of each commodity are weighted by 2014-2016 average international commodity prices and summed for each year. To obtain the index, the aggregate for a given year is divided by the average aggregate for the base period 2014-2016. Since the FAO indices are based on the concept of agriculture as a single enterprise, amounts of seed and feed are subtracted from the production data to avoid double counting, once in the production data and once with the crops or livestock produced from them. Deductions for seed (in the case of eggs, for hatching) and for livestock and poultry feed apply to both domestically produced and imported commodities. They cover only primary agricultural products destined to animal feed (e.g. maize, potatoes, milk, etc.). Processed and semi-processed feed items such as bran, oilcakes, meals and molasses have been completely excluded from the calculations at all stages. It should be noted that when calculating indices of agricultural, food and nonfood production, all intermediate primary inputs of agricultural origin are deducted. However, for indices of any other commodity group, only inputs originating from within the same group are deducted; thus, only seed is removed from the group 'crops' and from all crop subgroups, such as cereals, oil crops, etc.; and both feed and seed originating from within the livestock sector (e.g. milk feed, hatching eggs) are removed from the group 'livestock products'. For the main two livestock subgroups, namely, meat and milk, only feed originating from the respective subgroup is removed. Indices which take into account deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''net''. Indices calculated without any deductions for feed and seed are referred to as ''gross'. The 'international commodity prices' are used in order to avoid the use of exchange rates for obtaining continental and world aggregates, and also to improve and facilitate international comparative analysis of productivity at the national level. These' international prices,' expressed in so-called 'international dollars,' are derived using a Geary-Khamis formula for the agricultural sector. This method assigns a single 'price' to each commodity. For example, one metric ton of wheat has the same price regardless of the country where it was produced. The currency unit in which the prices are expressed has no influence on the indices published. The commodities covered in the computation of indices of agricultural production are all crops and livestock products originating in each country. Practically all products are covered, with the main exception of fodder crops.
Quantity of plant nutrients used per unit of arable land. Fertilizer products cover nitrogenous, potash, and phosphate fertilizers (including ground rock phosphate). Traditional nutrients--animal and plant manures--are not included.
Sources
World Bank Development Indicators from FAO
Methodology
Fertilizer consumption measures the quantity of plant nutrients, and is calculated as production plus imports minus exports. Because some chemical compounds used for fertilizers have other industrial applications, the consumption data may overstate the quantity available for crops.
Notes
The FAO has revised the time series for fertilizer consumption and irrigation for 2002 onward. In the previous release, the data were based on total consumption of fertilizers, but the data in the recent release are based on the nutrients in fertilizers. Some countries compile fertilizer data on a calendar year basis, while others compile on a crop year basis (July-June). Previous editions of this indicator, Fertilizer consumption (100 grams per hectare of arable land), reported data on a crop year basis, but this edition uses the calendar year, as adopted by the FAO. The data are collected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through annual questionnaires. The FAO tries to impose standard definitions and reporting methods, but complete consistency across countries and over time is not possible. The secondary sources cover official country data from websites of national ministries, national publications and related country data reported by various international organizations. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Because some chemical compounds used for fertilizers have other industrial applications, the consumption data may overstate the quantity available for crops.
Methane emissions from animals, animal waste, rice production, agricultural waste burning (nonenergy, on-site), and savanna burning.
Sources
a) World Resources Institute; b) World Bank Development Indicators for Syria
Methodology
To estimate emissions, the countries that are Parties to the Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) use complex, state-of-the-art methodologies recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Methane emissions result largely from agricultural activities, industrial production landfills and wastewater treatment, and other sources such as tropical forest and other vegetation fires.
Notes
The emissions are usually expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents using the global warming potential, which allows the effective contributions of different gases to be compared. A kilogram of methane is 21 times as effective at trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere as a kilogram of carbon dioxide within 100 years.
Nitrous oxide emissions produced through fertilizer use (synthetic and animal manure), animal waste management, agricultural waste burning (nonenergy, on-site), and savanna burning.
Sources
a) World Resources Institute; b) World Bank Development Indicators for Syria
Methodology
Agricultural nitrous oxide emissions are emissions produced through fertilizer use (synthetic and animal manure), animal waste management, agricultural waste burning (nonenergy, on-site), and savannah burning. IPCC category 4 = Agriculture. Expressed in CO2 equivalent using the GWP100 metric of the Second Assessment Report of IPCC and include N2O (GWP100=310).
Notes
Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, with an estimated atmospheric lifetime of 114 years, compared with 12 years for methane. The per kilogram global warming potential of nitrous oxide is nearly 310 times that of carbon dioxide within 100 years. The emissions are usually expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents using the global warming potential, which allows the effective contributions of different gases to be compared.
