1. Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) Climate Module: criteria for adaptation and mitigation
Oliver Bach SAN Secretariat

2. What human activities cause GHG emissions?
Industrial sources
Land use sources
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Burning of fossil fuels and cement production
Deforestation and burning of forests
Methane (CH4)
Landfills, coal mining, natural gas production
Wetland conversion, Rice paddies, cattle production, wastewater
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Burning of fossil fuels, production of nitric acid
Use of fertilizers, Burning of biomass
Hidrofluorcarbonos (HFCs)
Industrial processes, manufacturing
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Perfluorcarbons (PFCs)
Sulphur Hexafluorur (SF6)
Electric transmission
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What human activities cause GHG emissions?

3. Agriculture’s global carbon footprint
14% of all GHG emissions from agriculture - erosion, soil tillage, irrigation, fertilizer use, burning of biomass and livestock digestive systems
Including deforestation – nearly 30% of global GHG emissions – mostly due to large scale agribusinesses such as oil palm, soy, cattle, pulpwood plantations
Cattle production contributes up to 18% of all GHG emissions (FAO, 2006)
14% of GHG is more than the emissions generated by all of the world’s planes, trains and automobiles combined. How can agriculture’s growing footprint be curtailed?
Agriculture’s global carbon footprint

4. Climate Change + Costa Rican Agriculture
Raising temperature will affect sugarcane production: less sugar content, more competition from weeds and more severe rat pests.
Cattle production and rice plantations have been suffering huge losses in the dry Northwest
Extreme floods
have affected banana
production

5. Cattle land occupies 25% of CR territory, generates 11% of gross product and gives employment to people
Cattle production dominated by traditional production models with monoculture pastures and pasture degradation
Silvopastoral systems have a 20-40% increased meat or milk production
Higher bird and butterfly biodiversity
CATIE: Carbon fixation in NW farms:
Secondary forests (178,7 t C)
Wood plantations (142,4 t C)
Improved pastures with high tree density (107,1 t C)
Degraded pastures (60,2 t C).
Cattle Production

6. Organic Agriculture in Costa Rica (production hectares)

7. Coopedota first carbon neutral PAS 2060 certified coffee cooperative
Domestic organic agriculture products receive same price as conventional products
Agroforestry incentives only for some specific areas through environmental payment services
Coopedota first carbon neutral PAS 2060 certified coffee cooperative
No significant public incentives for low carbon footprint agriculture
Costa Rica wants to be the first carbon neutral country of the world in 2021

8. Pesticide imports (tons) and agriculture area (100s of ha) 1977 - 2008

9. SAN Climate Module

10. Standard Setter for Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms

11. Farms use sustainable practices that are good for the climate, including…
Increasing land under conservation and restoration
Maintaining energy efficiency plans
Water conservation and treatment of wastewater
Planned and efficient application of fertilizers and priority to organic fertilization
Reduce the amount of waste produced
No cutting of natural forest or land burning
Increase ground cover
Farming systems can influence climate change in a number of ways. Growing vegetation sequesters the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in its biomass and subsequently in the soil. The burning and decay of cleared vegetation releases carbon dioxide. The use of fertilisers and chemicals can release nitrogen and carbon based greenhouse gases upon application as well as producing greenhouse gases in their production. For a comprehensive review of agricultural practices and the carbon cycle see Lal (2005)[1]. The general efficiency of the farm’s management can also determine the amount of greenhouse gases produced linked to energy use.
The avoidance of deforestation for new production areas (9.5) is probably the most significant climate related SAN criteria, as the emissions related to deforesting areas through fire and decay represent a significant proportion of the original biomass. By increasing the vegetation cover for shade, buffering and soil protection significant sequestration can occur. For example, Kursten et al. (1993) found the carbon-stock of shade trees in agroecosystems to be 3 to 25 t C ha-1. Only allowing sustain able harvesting wil prevent the loss of carbon stocks through over abstraction. The relative importance of soil erosion is hard to define exactly due to the scientific uncertainty.
More baseline data is required to determine the quantitative difference between these groups of benefits. More actual ground data is needed to determine the actual climate benefits derived, due to actual implementation.
[1] Lal, R. (2005) Agricultural activities and the global carbon cycle Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 70: 103–116

12. Climate-friendly Agriculture
Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM + Climate Module
New, additional, robust climate criteria
Add-on module to existing standard
Climate-friendly Agriculture

13. Objectives of the SAN Climate Module
Raise climate awareness and create added value for farmers
Encourage increased carbon sequestration in soil and plants
Promote reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on farms
Stimulate greater preparedness for adaptation strategies
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Objectives of the SAN Climate Module

14. The SAN Climate Module: How it works
A comprehensive approach, including:
GHG inventory/measurement of emissions sources
Improved emissions reductions planning and actions
Quantification and inventory of carbon in trees and soils
Risk assessment and strategies to adapt to climate change and extreme weather events
Criteria closely linked between the existing SAN Standards – recognizes and builds on what producers already do
The SAN Climate Module: How it works

15. Public Consultation Process (2009-2010)

17. Workshops + field tests: Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya

18. 41 countries and 169 organizations

19. The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(1.12) Assess climate risks and vulnerabilities; include plans to adapt to & mitigate climate change.
(1.13) Annual records of main GHG sources
(1.14) Access information on climate variability and its predicted impacts
(1.15) Maps of land use and records of land use changes
(1.16) Adaptation and mitigation practices included in training and education programs
(1.17) Choose service providers that incorporate climate-friendly practices in their operations
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (6)
(1.12) The farm’s social and environmental management system must assess climate risks and vulnerabilities and include plans to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
(1.13) The farm must annually record data about its main GHG emissions sources related to, at minimum, nitrogen fertilizer input, pesticide input, fossil fuel use for machinery, methane generated in waste and wastewater treatment and animal husbandry.
(1.14) The farm must obtain available information on climate variability and its predicted impacts and adapt farm practices considering that information.
(1.15) The farm must map its land use and keep records of land use changes.
(1.16) The farm’s climate change adaptation and mitigation practices must be included in its training and education programs.
(1.17) The farm must, to the extent possible, choose service providers that incorporate climate-friendly practices in their operations.
The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria

20. The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria
ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION
(2.10) Plant native or adapted species & promote natural regeneration, to reduce vulnerability and prevent degradation.
(2.11) Maintain/increase carbon stocks by planting or conserving trees or other woody biomass. Do tree inventories every five years.
WATER CONSERVATION
(4.10) Analyze and implement wastewater treatment options that reduce methane emissions from wastewater treatment
(4.11) Adapt to water scarcity by practices such as harvesting and storing rainwater and selecting drought tolerant crop varieties.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY
(6.21) Be prepared for emergencies and plan response for extreme weather events - prevent damage to people, animals and property.
ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION (2)
(2.10) The farm must reduce vulnerability, prevent land degradation or enhance ecological functions by planting native or adapted species or promoting natural regeneration.
(2.11) The farm must maintain or increase its carbon stocks by planting or conserving trees or other woody biomass. The farm must conduct tree inventories every five years.
WATER CONSERVATION (2)
(4.10)The farm must analyze and implement wastewater treatment options that reduce methane emissions from wastewater treatment and recover the generated methane, to the extent possible.
(4.11) The farm must adapt to water scarcity by practices such as harvesting and storing rainwater and selecting drought tolerant crop varieties.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY (1)
(6.21) The farm must implement an emergency preparedness and response plan for extreme weather events to prevent damage to people, animals and property.
The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria

21. The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
(7.7) Initiate/ participate in community’s climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
INTEGRATED CROP MANAGEMENT
(8.10) Reduce nitrous oxide emissions through the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers.
SOIL MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION
(9.6) Maintain/increase soil carbon stocks by implementing climate-friendly soil management practices.
INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
(10.1) Implement organic residue management practices that reduce GHG emissions.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS (1)
(7.7)The farm must initiate or actively participate in community’s climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts, including identification of relevant resources.
INTEGRATED CROP MANAGEMENT (1)
(8.10) The farm must reduce nitrous oxide emissions through the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers to minimize the loss to air and water.
SOIL MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION (1)
(9.6) The farm must maintain or increase its soil carbon stocks by implementing management practices, such as crop residue recycling, permanent cover crops reducing tillage, and optimizing the soil’s water retention and infiltration.
INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT (1)
(10.1) The farm must implement organic residue management practices that reduce GHG emissions, such as production of organic fertilizer or biomass energy generation.
The SAN Climate Module: How it works – 15 criteria

22. The SAN Climate Module: Benefits
FOR FARMERS
Increase access to “green” markets and climate responsible businesses
Potential for added product value through differentiation
Position farm for inclusion in government Payment for Environmental Services programs
Help “buffer” farm against climate changes, reduce risk of adverse impacts on production
FOR COMPANIES AND BRANDS
Products in-line with company’s climate-related CSR strategy
A strategic step towards a low-carbon business model
Promote and respond to consumers' demand for low-carbon products
Niche markets: markets comprised of buyers who share common desire of having products that demonstrate “climate care” to their consumers (in the case of the climate module). More broadly, such markets can be referred to as “green commodities” markets, which reflect products grown in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way, and are often certified by external parties for meeting these practices.
PES: This is all tentative, but an opportunity that Rainforest Alliance envisions for those farms meeting the climate module; government programs are moving in these directions, and its possible that the climate module could be “grandfathered in” to those systems, and thus farmers could access any available funding. Again this is UNCERTAIN, but a potential direction that could be taken.
Other benefits include: building farm capacity to adapt to climate change
The SAN Climate Module: Benefits

23. The SAN Climate Module is NOT…
Carbon-footprinting methodology
Life Cycle Analysis
‘Carbon neutral’ module or label
Focused to generate Carbon Offsets
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The SAN Climate Module is NOT…

24. Standard for Sustainable Cattle Production Systems
INTEGRATED CATTLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
SUSTAINABLE RANGE AND PASTURE MANAGEMENT
ANIMAL WELFARE
REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT
ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CATTLE FARMS