The Methane Distraction: Why Real Emissions Cuts Start with Soil and Fertiliser

If you follow the climate debate in agriculture, you’ve likely heard about the need to cut “cow methane.” It’s become a headline-grabbing target, with calls for dietary shifts, herd reductions, and even methane-inhibiting feed additives.

But what if we told you methane isn’t the problem most people think it is?

The real, long-term threat to climate from agriculture isn’t cow burps (or farts) it’s nitrous oxide (N₂O) from fertiliser use and the steady degradation of our soil carbon.

Let’s explore why methane is misunderstood and why real emissions reductions in farming must start with nitrogen and soil.

Methane: A Short-Lived but Misunderstood Gas

Methane (CH₄), produced by ruminant animals during digestion, does contribute to global warming. But its impact is often overstated.

Here’s what the science says:

• Methane breaks down in the atmosphere within 12 years
• The carbon in methane comes from CO₂ already absorbed by grass
• Whether grass is digested by a cow or left to decompose, the same carbon re-enters the atmosphere

This is a closed loop, not a cumulative emission.

“Methane is a ‘flow gas’, not a ‘stock gas’ like CO₂ or N₂O. It’s short-lived and doesn’t accumulate the same way.”
— Oxford Martin School, 2018

In contrast, N₂O lingers in the atmosphere for more than 100 years, building up and contributing to long-term warming.

The Real Problem: Fertiliser Emissions

Conventional nitrogen fertilisers, especially urea, are a major source of N₂O, which:

• Is 300x more potent than CO₂ as a greenhouse gas
• Is released when nitrogen is applied in excess or not absorbed by crops
• Accounts for a large share of agriculture’s climate impact

For every tonne of urea applied, about 1.37 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions are released.

And that’s not even counting:

• Runoff into waterways (causing algal blooms)
• Ammonia volatilisation (affecting air quality)
• Soil acidification and carbon loss

The Overlooked Solution: Soil and Smarter Nitrogen

Improving fertiliser efficiency and rebuilding soil carbon can achieve far greater, longer-lasting emissions reductions than targeting livestock methane.

That’s where COLDry Fertiliser comes in.

Developed by ESG Agriculture and ECT via our joint venture, Zero Quest, our COLDry technology blends urea with carbon-rich lignite and dries it at low temperatures to preserve nitrogen. The result is a slow-release fertiliser that:

• Cuts nitrogen loss (by leaching and gas)
• Improves nitrogen use efficiency (NUE)
• Adds carbon to the soil, supporting microbial life and moisture retention

Trials show:

• 64% reduction in N₂O emissions
• 59% less nitrogen leaching
• 23% crop yield improvement
• 21% increase in nitrogen uptake

It’s a fertiliser that performs better for crops, soil, and the climate.

Soil: The Silent Climate Solution

Healthy soils do more than grow food; they draw carbon out of the atmosphere.

Improved soil carbon:

• Increases water retention
• Supports resilience in drought
• Stores CO₂ long-term (2–5 tonnes per hectare per year)

And unlike short-lived methane reductions, soil carbon and nitrogen efficiency deliver permanent climate benefits.

Reframe the Debate. Focus on Impact.

This isn’t about ignoring methane, but about proportion.

The fixation on livestock diverts attention and investment from proven, scalable, high-impact interventions:

• Smarter fertiliser
• Carbon-rich soils
• Closed-loop, localised production

It’s time to stop chasing headlines and start fixing what matters.

Want to Learn More?

Join us in delivering solutions, from the ground up. Email us at [email protected] for more info.

References:

• Oxford Martin School (2018): link
• World Bank CBAM Report
• IPCC AR6 – N2O vs. CH4 persistence