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Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agriculture in the EU: A Spatial Assessment of Sources and Abatement Costs

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Abstract

Agriculture significantly contributes to emissions of greenhouse gases in the EU. By using a farm-type, supply-side oriented, linear-programming model of the European agriculture, the baseline levels of methane and nitrous oxide emissions are assessed at the regional level in the EU-15. For a range of CO2-equivalent prices, we assess the potential abatement, as well as the resulting optimal mix of emission sources in the total abatement. Furthermore, we show that the spatial variability of the abatement achieved at a given carbon price is large, indicating that abatement cost heterogeneity is a fundamental feature in the design of a mitigation policy. The cost savings permitted by market-based instruments relative to uniform standard are shown to be large.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UMR Economie Publique INRA INA-PG, BP 01, 78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France

    Stéphane De Cara, Martin Houzé & Pierre-Alain Jayet

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  1. Stéphane De Cara
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  2. Martin Houzé
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  3. Pierre-Alain Jayet
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Correspondence to Stéphane De Cara.

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De Cara, S., Houzé, M. & Jayet, PA. Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agriculture in the EU: A Spatial Assessment of Sources and Abatement Costs. Environ Resource Econ 32, 551–583 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-005-0071-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-005-0071-8

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