INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The first scientific european meeting devoted to the impact of agricultural techniques and food habits on climate change :   

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

AND

 CLIMATE CHANGE

April 17^th et 18^th, 2008 

ENITA Clermont-Ferrand, lempdes,France

The reality of climate change due to human activities and its consequences in terms of climatic accidents, reduction of biodiversity, sanitary risks, etc, are now admited by everybody. it is thought that carbon dioxide released during fossil fuel combustion (oil, natural gas, coal) is the foremoste actor.

The part played by two other gasses, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) has however been underestimated ; both are implicate, in Fance, for about 26% of the greenhouse tract. Agriculture is the main source of these two gasses. Methane output comes from the digestive tract of ruminant and from the fermentation of effluents from livestock (manure, slurry, compost). Nitrous oxide comes mainly from the soils (denitrification) and to a lesser extent livestock effluents. Agriculture contributes up to 19% to the greenhouse effect in France ( CITEPA). if we include upstream and downstream activities, we can reach 30%. Worldwide, agriculture also contributes to about 30% of global warning... more information about the conference.

• Program

• Speakers presentation

• Press release

• presentation of Claude Aubert