The DOI matches its Crossref record; 59 of the 59 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Greenhouse gas emissions intensity of global croplands
Open accessAbstract
Global high-resolution crop-specific estimates of greenhouse gas emissions intensity (in 2000) reveal that certain cropping practices contribute disproportionately to emissions, making them suitable targets for climate mitigation policies. Stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from croplands as agricultural demand grows is a critical component of climate change mitigation1,2,3. Emissions intensity metrics—including carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per kilocalorie produced (‘production intensity’)—can highlight regions, management practices, and crops as potential foci for mitigation4,5,6,7. Yet the spatial and crop-wise distribution of emissions intensity has been uncertain. Here, we develop global crop-specific circa 2000 estimates of GHG emissions and GHG intensity in high spatial detail, reporting the effects of rice paddy management, peatland draining, and nitrogen (N) fertilizer on CH4, CO2 and N2O emissions. Global mean production intensity is 0.16 Mg CO2e M kcal−1, yet certain cropping practices contribute disproportionately to emissions. Peatland drainage (3.7 Mg CO2e M kcal−1)—concentrated in Europe and Indonesia—accounts for 32% of these cropland emissions despite peatlands producing just 1.1% of total crop kilocalories. Methane emissions from rice (0.58 Mg CO2e M kcal-1), a crucial food staple supplying 15% of total crop kilocalories, contribute 48% of cropland emissions, with outsized production intensity in Vietnam. In contrast, N2O emissions from N fertilizer application (0.033 Mg CO2e M kcal−1) generate only 20% of cropland emissions. We find that current total GHG emissions are largely unrelated to production intensity across crops and countries. Climate mitigation policies should therefore be directed to locations where crops have both high emissions and high intensities.
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Cites
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Self-citationGlobal food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture
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Self-citationClimate Change and Food Systems
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Self-citationReducing food's environmental impacts through producers and consumers
Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.aaq0216 · Cited by 6,085
Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits
Springmann, M., Clark, M., Mason-D’Croz, D., Wiebe, K., Bodirsky, B. L., Lassaletta, L., de Vries, W., Vermeulen, S. J., Herrero, M., Carlson, K. M., et al. (2018) · Nature · doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0594-0 · Cited by 3,380
Self-citationThe Global Methane Budget 2000–2017
Saunois, M., Stavert, A. R., Poulter, B., Bousquet, P., Canadell, J. G., Jackson, R. B., Raymond, P. A., Dlugokencky, E. J., Houweling, S., Patra, P. K., et al. (2019) · doi:10.5194/essd-2019-128 · Cited by 2,760
Self-citationThe Global Methane Budget 2000–2017
Saunois, M., Stavert, A. R., Poulter, B., Bousquet, P., Canadell, J. G., Jackson, R. B., Raymond, P. A., Dlugokencky, E. J., Houweling, S., Patra, P. K., et al. (2020) · Earth System Science Data · doi:10.5194/essd-12-1561-2020 · Cited by 2,711
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Metadata
- Authors
- Carlson, K. M., Gerber, J. S., Mueller, N. D., Herrero, M., MacDonald, G. K., Brauman, K. A., Havlik, P., O’Connell, C. S., Johnson, J. A., Saatchi, S., & West, P. C.
- Venue
- Nature Climate Change
- Published
- 2016-11-21
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 63-68
- ISSN
- 1758-678X (ISSN-L)
- 1758-6798
- OpenAlex
- W2552446584
- Cited by
- 733
- References
- 59
- FWCI
- 26.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
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- Carlson, K. M., Gerber, J. S., Mueller, N. D., Herrero, M., MacDonald, G. K., Brauman, K. A., Havlik, P., O’Connell, C. S., Johnson, J. A., Saatchi, S., & West, P. C. (2017). Greenhouse gas emissions intensity of global croplands. Nature Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3158
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