Search
Toward Low-Carbon Rice Production in China: Historical Changes, Driving Factors, and Mitigation Potential

March 19, 2024 | Environmental Science & Technology | Source |

 

Introduction: This study, conducted by researchers from Hunan University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, evaluates the historical carbon footprint (CF) of rice production across China’s counties  from 2007 to 2018. By integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with the Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model, the study quantifies spatial and temporal variations in CF and identifies key driving factors and mitigation strategies.

 

Key findings: The farm-based carbon footprint (FCF) of rice production increased by 74.3 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ per year between 2007 and 2018, while the product-based carbon footprint (PCF) remained stable. CH₄ emissions from paddy fields were the dominant contributor to FCF, followed by diesel consumption and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. Spatial analysis revealed significant regional disparities, with high FCF concentrated in the North China Plain and the Middle-Lower Yangtze Plain.

Scenario analysis showed that optimized irrigation, particularly alternate wetting and drying (AWD), could reduce national GHG emissions from rice production by 48.5%, while utilizing rice straw for biogas production could cut emissions by 18.0%. Combining multiple mitigation strategies—including improved crop management, optimized fertilization, and biodiesel use—could achieve a 76.7% reduction in emissions while increasing rice yield by 11.8%. The study underscores the need for targeted policies to implement AWD irrigation, optimize nitrogen fertilizer use, and promote bioenergy utilization to advance China’s low-carbon agriculture goals.

 

Viewed Articles
Toward Low-Carbon Rice Production in China: Historical Changes, Driving Factors, and Mitigation Potential
March 19, 2024 | Environmental Science & Technology | Source |  Introduction: This study, conducted by researchers from Hunan University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, evaluates the historical c
Read More
An overview of underutilized benefits derived from Azolla as a promising biofertilizer in lowland rice production
January, 2023 | Heliyon | Source |  Introduction: Azolla, an aquatic fern with nitrogen-fixing capabilities through its symbiotic association with Aenabana azollae, has the potential to serve as an ec
Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in organic dehesa livestock farms. Does technical-economic management matters?
October 20, 2022 | Journal of Cleaner Production | Source |  Introduction: While organic livestock systems are often hailed as environmentally friendly, their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon
Soil carbon sequestration increment and carbon-negative emissions in alternate wetting and drying paddy ecosystems through biochar incorporation
July 1, 2024 | Agricultural Water Management | Source |  Introduction: Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is a widely adopted water-saving irrigation technique in Asian rice-producing countries that i
Livestock greenhouse gas emission and mitigation potential in China
December 15, 2023 | Journal of Environmental Management | Source |  Introduction: Livestock production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in China, challenging the country’s 20
Enhancing agroecosystem nitrogen management: microbial insights for improved nitrification inhibition
June, 2024 | Trends in Microbiology | Source |  Introduction: Excessive nitrification in agroecosystems causes nitrate leaching and N₂O emissions. Although nitrification inhibitors (NIs) reduce nitrog
TOP