Biomethane From Manure: A Curse, Not A Cure

Generated Summary

This report by Feedback EU investigates the implications of the increasing focus on biomethane production from manure within the European Union, particularly in the context of the RePowerEU action plan and the broader goals of the European Green Deal. The study employs a critical analysis of existing policy frameworks, emission accounting methodologies, and the potential environmental and social impacts of upscaling manure-based biomethane. It critiques the narrative that biomethane from manure is a sustainable solution, arguing that it can perpetuate unsustainable livestock farming practices and hinder the transition to more sustainable food systems. The report examines the issue through the lens of environmental justice, neo-colonial practices, and the potential for exacerbating inequalities in rural communities. The primary focus is on the unintended consequences of current policies and proposes recommendations for policy adjustments to address these issues.

Key Findings & Statistics

• Globally, food systems account for almost 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with agricultural production contributing about 71% of this total.
• The livestock sector is responsible for 78% of terrestrial biodiversity loss, 80% of soil acidification and air pollution, and 73% of water pollution.
• The livestock sector is also one of the greatest contributors of methane emissions, representing approximately one-third of global anthropogenic methane emissions.
• Methane is about 80 times more warming per kg than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 20-year period (GWP20) and on average 27 times more warming than CO₂ over a 100-year period (GWP100).
• Enteric fermentation contributes for 48% to agricultural GHG emissions in Europe.
• Nitrous dioxide and ammonia emissions from livestock manure management contribute to 32 % and 60 % of total global emissions, respectively.
• Manure management alone in Europe accounts for 17% of agricultural GHG emissions.
• Maintaing business-as-usual livestock production will require a 119% increase in edible crops grown by 2050.
• Converting the current mix of crop uses worldwide to growing food exclusively for direct human consumption would make 70% more calories available.
• Of the total EU imports of soybean (the principal protein source for animal feed) in 2021, 45% originated from Brazil, 14% from the US, 21% from Argentina, and 2% from Ukraine.
• Feed and feed ingredients account for the largest portion, with protein crops accounting for 36% of EU import in 2023.
• Current projections of biomethane production, by the industry group Gas for Climate (2022) assume a reduction in cows and pigs of (-7%) and (-8%), and an increase of 3% and 4% for sheep/goats and chickens.
• The latest projections of biomethane potential from manure (Guidehouse, 2024) using livestock figures from the European Commission Agricultural Outlook, assume a slight reduction of beef and pigmeat production (-0,6%) and an increase in poultry production (0,4%) between 2023 and 2035.
• A recent study by Harwatt et al. (2024) stresses that to reach emission reductions in line with the Paris Agreement, the livestock sector’s emissions must be reduced by 50% in 2030 and by 61% in 2036.
• While the percentage contribution of manure is expected to decrease over time, the absolute production of biomethane from manure is expected to increase until 2040.
• The latest estimates suggest that by 2040, Europe is expected to produce double the current total biomethane output from manure alone, reaching 14 bcm.
• Herd sizes at facilities investigated (73 in total) with digesters, grew 3.7% year-on-year, 24 times the growth rate for overall dairy herd sizes in the States covered by the study.
• Herd increase of 57.9% on average.

Other Important Findings

• The push to upscale biomethane production from manure incentivizes the continuation or expansion of livestock production, which contradicts environmental and public health goals, and keeps global warming below 1.5°C.
• The reliance on manure-based biomethane extends the EU’s dependence on unsustainable livestock farming reliant on long supply chains and imports of protein feed, and extensive use of grassland for grazing, which represent the biggest land use associated with livestock.
• The approach can replace a natural gas dependency with an animal feed dependency sourced from other continents, especially in the Global South, potentially transforming animal feed into energy crops and perpetuating neo-colonial forms of extractivism.
• The focus on emissions from manure management, as reinforced by the Renewable Energy Directive, ignores broader emissions associated with livestock farming, like land-use change, enteric fermentation, and transportation.
• The European Green Deal calls for a 10-15% reduction in livestock production; the European Protein Strategy advocates for reduced consumption of animal-based products; and the Farm to Fork strategy seeks to promote domestic protein production and reduce import dependency.
• EU policies and strategies such as the Deforestation-free Products Regulation and the Nature Restoration Law aim at environmental protection, which conflicts with the biomethane approach.
• The Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture recognizes the trend towards more plant-based diets, which is in contrast to incentivising manure use.
• The justice dimension of biogas and biomethane expansion has been explored and researched in the US context, particularly focusing on the adverse impacts on communities living near CAFOs.
• The main cause of manure crises and surplus is the overproduction and overconsumption of meat and dairy products.
• EU agricultural policies and trade agreements have long encouraged food and farming systems dependent on cheap raw materials from overseas, relying heavily on intensive production practices.
• The current Renewable Energy Directive’s emission accounting methodology overlooks the impacts of upscaling manure-based biomethane on land use, feed cultivation and methane emissions from livestock.
• The IEA suggests that the potential of manure as biogas feedstock in Europe will “grow over time as livestock increases,” reaching “almost 40 bcm-eq in 2050” (IEA, 2022), without supporting statistics or references.
• Increased milking herd size and changed practices for feeding could create opportunities to collect more manure.
• Increased herd sizes, particularly in areas with manure digesters, and growth in agricultural-level biogas and biomethane plants.
• The costs of constructing biogas plants, calculated per cow, decrease as herd size increases.

Limitations Noted in the Document

• The study primarily focuses on the European context, and therefore the findings may not be directly applicable to regions outside of Europe.
• The analysis relies on existing data and projections, which may be subject to uncertainties and limitations in the data collection methods or the assumptions used.
• The report acknowledges a lack of research on the specific impact of biomethane expansion on both European and non-European rural communities.
• The study does not include the potential of all feedstocks, and it does not factor in the use of other types of waste in addition to manure for biomethane production.
• The research lacks detailed quantitative analysis or modeling of all the factors involved in the manure-based biomethane value chain and its impacts.
• There is a lack of similar research to assess how biogas and biomethane expansion in Europe is affecting both European and non-European rural and non-rural communities.
• The current biomethane policy framework does not explicitly promote expanding land use for manure-based biomethane.

Conclusion

The document highlights the critical need for a shift in the current trajectory of EU energy and agricultural policies. It argues that the pursuit of biomethane production from manure, as currently incentivized, risks deepening unsustainable practices within the livestock sector and undermining broader environmental goals. The report emphasizes that the emphasis on biomethane production from manure as a renewable energy source, without comprehensive mitigation measures, can exacerbate existing issues related to livestock farming, including greenhouse gas emissions, land use change, and reliance on external inputs. Key takeaways emphasize that relying on anaerobic digestion from manure, without broader mitigation measures, locks the EU into unsustainable practices. These practices ultimately hinder the transition to more sustainable food and agricultural systems. The study suggests that the focus on production from manure, without attention to the wider impacts of the livestock sector, creates environmental injustices and perpetuates neo-colonial practices. The authors advocate for policy recommendations, like the integration of biomethane production into farming systems that sustain animal farming within ecological limits, and ensuring that the expansion of biomethane production does not exacerbate environmental degradation or social inequalities. The report ultimately calls for a systemic and just transformation of food systems, including prioritizing dietary changes, and coordinating EU energy and food policies to achieve these goals. The study concludes by underscoring the importance of recognizing manure as a byproduct, accounting for its environmental impacts, and ensuring that any policy measures promote a global justice perspective.