Harmonizing methods to account for soil nitrous oxide emissions in Life Cycle Assessment of agricultural systems

Summary

Worldwide greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reached 59 Gt of CO 2 eq in 2019 and agricultural soils are the primary source of N 2 O emissions. Life cycle assessments (LCA) have been successful in assessing GHG from agricultural systems. However, no review and harmonization attempt has been focused on soil N 2 O emissions, despite the need to improve LCA methodologies for assessing GHG in agricultural LCA. We therefore undertook a review and harmonization of existing methods to account for soil N 2 O emissions in LCA of agricultural systems and products: i) to compare current methods used in LCA; ii) to identify advantages and iii) disadvantages of each method in LCA; iv) to suggest recommendations for LCA of agricultural systems; v) to identify research needs and potential methodological deve