Development of greenhouse gas emissions in the Swiss agriculture and food sector

The agriculture and food sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Emission inventories serve as a basis for reduction strategies and the respective impact assessments. To date however, efforts at assessment have frequently been characterized by limited sector perspectives. Adopting an integral approach, the present study reviews emissions from the Swiss agriculture and food sector from the perspectives of both production and consumption. Whereas emissions from the production perspective fell slightly in spite of rising output, greenhouse gas emissions from the total agriculture and food sector have risen by a total of 15 % since 1990. The main reason for this is food imports, which have increased by more than 70 % since 1990. The results reveal a considerable gap between the goals of the «Climate Strategy for Agriculture» and the trend of consumption-based emissions. The main options for action are the promotion of a climate-friendly diet and the increase