September 4, 2024

Scotland, UK researchers secure US$918,000 for emissions research facility

Researchers from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), UK, have been awarded nearly GBP 700,000 (US$918,000) to develop a state-of-the-art research facility aimed at measuring emissions from beef cattle, Footprint reported.

This initiative supports the UK government's commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The project, titled "UltraGreenCow: Comprehensive Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions Measurement Capacity for Large Ruminant Production," is one of 29 projects selected for funding by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) for mid-range biosciences research equipment.

Building upon SRUC's existing GreenCow facility, the UltraGreenCow project will be one of the few locations globally capable of measuring all emissions from livestock, including methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. The data generated from this research will provide crucial insights into the trade-offs between these pollutants and inform mitigation strategies, such as feed additives, at a time when farmers are under increasing pressure to reduce emissions.

"In the UK, agriculture is responsible for 11% of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and 87% of ammonia emissions. Around 50% of GHGs and 75% of ammonia emissions from agriculture are associated with livestock or their wastes," said Gemma Miller, co-lead of the project. She emphasised that reducing emissions from agriculture is essential for meeting climate commitments but cautioned that "there is a real risk that implementing a mitigation measure to reduce one gas could lead to increases in one or more of the others."

-      Footprint