Air Pollution and Climate

The Case Study of How to Tackle Farming Emissions

Room: Vingen 1+2
Time: 8.30-10.30

Session chairs: Prof. Erik Swietlicki (MERGE, Lund University), Kajsa Pira (AirClim, Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat), Dr. Ågot Watne (IVL)

The presentations will be in Swedish.

Air pollution profoundly impacts climate, ecosystems as well as public health. It is a challenge to design policy that takes these synergies and conflicts into account. In addition, the sectors that generate air pollution have their specific social and economic challenges that policy makers must take into account for legislative proposals to gain acceptance.

In this session will focus on one such sector – agriculture. On the one hand, there are structural challenges with the emissions from agriculture, the emissions are usually diffuse and difficult to measure. The availability of end-of-pipe and centralised solutions are less than for other sectors. On the other hand, new stricter rules and regulations are often met by rather aggressive protests from farmers who feel that the burdens imposed on them are unfair and too harsh. How can our society minimise the harmful effects of farming on climate, air quality, eutrophication and acidification whilst maintain food production in Europe and Sweden?

To shed light on these pressing issues, we have assembled a panel of experts and policymakers, who will explore the effectiveness of existing policies and regulations, examining potential synergies and conflicts in abatement of emissions from farming.