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Mapping China's Agricultural Methane Reduction
Trends and Local Actions

English, Chinese

Nov 2025

Policy Brief

Beyond Carbon Climate-Food GAAP Subnational Climate Action

Summary:
This policy brief analyzes agricultural methane emissions in China, which account for 41% of national methane emissions (primarily from livestock and rice cultivation). It quantifies the substantial mitigation potential—up to 65 million tonnes CO₂e by 2060—through measures such as improved irrigation, adoption of low-emission rice varieties, and anaerobic digestion of livestock manure. The analysis combines national-level emission analysis, county-level spatial mapping identifying five provinces that account for one-third of total agricultural methane emissions, a systematic review of provincial methane control action plans (nine provinces as of October 2025), and case studies of on-the-ground practices in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Jiangxi. It also catalogs the multiple co-benefits of mitigation, including water savings, reduced fertilizer costs, and improved agricultural productivity.
Suggested citation:
ZHU Tongxin, CHEN Meian & MA Yue. 2025. Mapping China’s Agricultural Methane Reduction: Trends and Local Actions. Policy Brief. Institute for Global Decarbonization Progress
Mapping China's Agricultural Methane Reduction