Agriculture carbon reduction solution for China proposed

Chinese scientists, in collaboration with researchers from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, have proposed an agricultural carbon reduction solution that could help China achieve carbon neutrality in its food production, according to the Institute of Soil Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

According to the research model evaluation, the total carbon emissions from the production of China’s staple crops, including rice, wheat and corn, could have neared 670 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018.

Completing a comprehensive life-cycle assessment using data from China, the research team showed that an integrated biomass pyrolysis and electricity generation system coupled with commonly applied methane and nitrogen mitigation measures can help reduce staple crops’ annual life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions.

This new path can help achieve carbon neutrality in grain production without sacrificing grain output, said Yan Xiaoyuan, the lead scientist from the CAS Institute of Soil Science.

Yan added that it can also reduce atmospheric pollution emissions, increase the utilization rate of fertilizer resources, and increase both environmental and economic benefits by more than 30 percent.