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Greenhouse gas mitigation in Chinese agriculture: Distinguishing technical and economic potentials

Author

Listed:
  • Christian de Perthuis

    (LEDa - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dauphine - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Chaire économie du climat - Chaire économie du climat)

  • Dominic Moran

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Erda Lin

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Guodong Han

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Liping Guo

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Xiaotang Ju

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Eli Saetnan

    (Aberystwyth University)

  • Pete Smith

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Dali Rani Nayak

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Frank Koslowski

    (Autre - non renseigné)

  • Wen Wang

    (Climate Economics Chair - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres)

Abstract

China is now the world's biggest annual emitter of greenhouse gases with 7467 million tons (Mt) carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2005, with agriculture accounting for 11% of this total. As elsewhere, agricultural emissions mitigation policy in China faces a range of challenges due to the biophysical complexity and heterogeneity of farming systems, as well as other socioeconomic barriers. Existing research has contributed to improving our understanding of the technical potential of mitigation measures in this sector (i.e. what works). But for policy purposes it is important to convert these measures into a feasible economic potential, which provides a perspective on whether agricultural emissions reduction (measures) are low cost relative to mitigation measures and overall potential offered by other sectors of the economy. We develop a bottom-up marginal abatement cost curve (MACC) representing the cost of mitigation measures applicable in addition to business-as-usual agricultural practices. The MACC results demonstrate that while the sector offers a maximum technical potential of 402 MtCO2e in 2020, a reduction of 135 MtCO2e is potentially available at zero or negative cost (i.e. a cost saving), and 176 MtCO2e (approximately 44% of the total) can be abated at a cost below a threshold carbon price ≤¥ 100 (approximately €12) per tCO2e. Our findings highlight the relative cost effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizer and manure best management practices, and animal breeding practices. We outline the assumptions underlying MACC construction and discuss some scientific, socioeconomic and institutional barriers to realizing the indicated levels of mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian de Perthuis & Dominic Moran & Erda Lin & Guodong Han & Liping Guo & Xiaotang Ju & Eli Saetnan & Pete Smith & Dali Rani Nayak & Frank Koslowski & Wen Wang, 2014. "Greenhouse gas mitigation in Chinese agriculture: Distinguishing technical and economic potentials," Post-Print hal-01504956, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01504956
    DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.03.008
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Ziwei & Qi, Zhiming & Jiang, Qianjing & Sima, Nathan, 2021. "An economic analysis software for evaluating best management practices to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from cropland," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    2. Shuting Liu & Junsong Jia & Hanzhi Huang & Dilan Chen & Yexi Zhong & Yangming Zhou, 2023. "China’s CO 2 Emissions: A Thorough Analysis of Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Sustainable Policy from the Agricultural Land-Use Perspective during 1995–2020," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Yihui Chen & Minjie Li & Kai Su & Xiaoyong Li, 2019. "Spatial-Temporal Characteristics of the Driving Factors of Agricultural Carbon Emissions: Empirical Evidence from Fujian, China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-23, August.
    4. Fujii, Hidemichi & Managi, Shunsuke, 2015. "Optimal production resource reallocation for CO2 emissions reduction in manufacturing sectors," MPRA Paper 64703, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Yujie Huang & Yang Su & Ruiliang Li & Haiqing He & Haiyan Liu & Feng Li & Qin Shu, 2019. "Study of the Spatio-Temporal Differentiation of Factors Influencing Carbon Emission of the Planting Industry in Arid and Vulnerable Areas in Northwest China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Wang, Wen, 2015. "Intégrer l'agriculture dans les politiques d'atténuation chinoises," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/14999 edited by Perthuis, Christian de.
    7. Kejia Yang & Yalin Lei, 2017. "The carbon dioxide marginal abatement cost calculation of Chinese provinces based on stochastic frontier analysis," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 85(1), pages 505-521, January.
    8. Zhen, Wei & Qin, Quande & Miao, Lu, 2023. "The greenhouse gas rebound effect from increased energy efficiency across China's staple crops," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. Qingmeng Tong & Lu Zhang & Junbiao Zhang, 2017. "Evaluation of GHG Mitigation Measures in Rice Cropping and Effects of Farmer’s Characteristics: Evidence from Hubei, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-14, June.
    10. David Blandford & Katharine Hassapoyannes, 2018. "The role of agriculture in global GHG mitigation," OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers 112, OECD Publishing.
    11. Tang, Kai & He, Chuantian & Ma, Chunbo & Wang, Dong, 2019. "Does carbon farming provide a cost-effective option to mitigate GHG emissions? Evidence from China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(3), July.
    12. Jiaxing Pang & Hengji Li & Chengpeng Lu & Chenyu Lu & Xingpeng Chen, 2020. "Regional Differences and Dynamic Evolution of Carbon Emission Intensity of Agriculture Production in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    13. Safa Baccour & Jose Albiac & Taher Kahil, 2021. "Cost-Effective Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Agriculture of Aragon, Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-19, January.
    14. Hua Zhang & Sidai Guo & Yubing Qian & Yan Liu & Chengpeng Lu, 2020. "Dynamic analysis of agricultural carbon emissions efficiency in Chinese provinces along the Belt and Road," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, February.
    15. Tianyi Cai & Degang Yang & Xinhuan Zhang & Fuqiang Xia & Rongwei Wu, 2018. "Study on the Vertical Linkage of Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Change of the Animal Husbandry Sector between China and Its Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, July.
    16. Shoghi Kalkhoran, Sanaz & Pannell, David J. & Thamo, Tas & White, Benedict & Polyakov, Maksym, 2019. "Soil acidity, lime application, nitrogen fertility, and greenhouse gas emissions: Optimizing their joint economic management," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

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