Mr. Speaker, as part of its domestic and international greenhouse gas reporting requirements, Canada must prepare and publish emissions projections on an annual basis. AAFC works with Environment and Climate Change Canada to develop the emissions projections for the agriculture sector, which includes the projected impact of any new, current, or planned programming. Through the agricultural climate solutions – on-farm climate action fund, the sustainable Canadian agricultural partnership, and the $34.1 million proposed in budget 2023 to support the adoption of nitrogen management practices, AAFC has most recently estimated a 1.44 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, Mt CO2e, reduction in fertilizer emissions per year by 2030.
Although the 1.44 Mt CO2e estimate does not currently account for the projected impact of the agricultural climate solutions – living labs and agricultural clean technology program, both programs support the research, development, and adoption of practices and technologies that can reduce fertilizer emissions. In addition, some federally funded programs under the sustainable Canadian agricultural partnership, such as AgriScience and AgriInnovate, can support fertilizer-related projects along the innovation continuum. Because Canada’s emissions projections are updated annually, the estimated reduction in fertilizer emissions from all of AAFC’s current programming may be included as more research and data become available.
The 1.44 Mt CO2e estimate also does not account for industry-led or provincially led initiatives that may directly or indirectly reduce fertilizer emissions, including Fertilizer Canada’s 4R designation and certification, Farm Credit Canada’s 4R sustainability incentive program, and the Government of Ontario’s fertilizer accelerating solutions & technology challenge.