Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from grasslands contribute significantly to the carbon footprint of milk production. The N2O emission estimates from grasslands are, however, uncertain due to lack of data and episodic nature of N2O emissions. In collaboration with science and business partners (FMI, LUKE, Valio, Yara, Vaisala, Soil Scout) and using state-of-the-art techniques, we measure N2O emissions and their spatial and temporal variability, and we develop cultivation strategies that minimize N2O emissions from grasslands. We integrate the new data into process models to estimate the full climatic impact of grass cultivation, and to estimate the mitigation potential of N2O emission from Finnish grasslands. The project thereby contributes to achieving carbon neutrality in milk production.

2022