Long-term changes of methane emissions from rice cultivation during 2000 – 2060 in China: Trends, driving factors, predictions and policy implications

Abstract

• Methane emissions from rice cultivation in China are estimated at a range of 6.21–6.57 Tg yr −1 over the past two decades. • Reduction in the rate of straw added could significantly lower methane emissions by 9.4 %–10 %. • Policies focusing on production or demand can increase CH 4-rice by 0.3 % to 5.6 %. • Structural adjustments and regional cooperation effectively control CH 4-rice and promote regional development. • Dynamic rice cultivation adjustments could reduce CH 4-rice by 8.9 %–12.0 % by 2060. Regional budget assessments of methane (CH 4 ) are critical for future climate and environmental management. CH 4 emissions from rice cultivation (CH 4-rice ) constitute one of the most significant sources. However, previous studies mainly focus on historical emission estimates and lack consideration of future changes in CH 4-rice under climate change or anthropogenic policy intervention, which hampers our understanding of long-term trends and the implementation of targeted emission reduction efforts. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variations of CH 4-rice over the past two decades, using an integrated method to identify the major drivers and predict future emissions under climate change scenarios and policy perspectives. Results indicate that the CH 4-rice emissions in China ranged between 6.21 and 6.57 Tg yr −1 over the past two decades, with a spatial distribution characterized by decreases in the south and increases in the north, associated with economic development, dietary shifts, technological advancements, and climate change. Factors such as the rate of straw added (RSA), fertilization, soil texture, temperature, and precipitation significantly influence CH 4 emissions per unit rice production (CH 4-urp ), with RSA identified as the most significant tillage management factor, explaining 32 % of the variance. Lowering RSA to 8 % is beneficial for reducing CH 4-urp . Scenario analysis indicates that under policies focusing on production or demand, CH 4-rice is expected to increase by 0.3 % to 5.6 %, while adjusting RSA can reduce CH 4-rice by 9.4 % to 10.0 %. Structural adjustments and regional cooperation serve as beneficial starting points for controlling and reducing CH 4-rice in China, while optimizing industrial layouts contributes to regional development and CH 4-rice control. Implementing policies related to maintaining field and crop yields can achieve a balance between rice supply and demand ahead of schedule. Dynamic adjustment of rice cultivation based on supply–demand balance can effectively reduce CH 4-rice from excess rice production. By 2060, the reduction effect could reach 8.95 %–12.01 %. Introducing policy-driven tillage management measures as reference indicators facilitates the reduction of CH 4-rice .

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