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Methane Emission in China: Plans, Goals and Opportunities

Methane(CH4)  is one of the three main greenhouse gases, which is  mainly released from livestock farming, rice cultivation, landfill and the extraction of natural gas. Methane is about 34 times more potent than CO₂ and is responsible for about 20% of the greenhouse effect.

On November 7, 2023, 11 China departments, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), jointly released the Methane Emissions Control Action Plan, which is the first high level document for methane emissions management and control. The plan highlights not only agriculture, but also some other sectors for engagement such as energy, waste treatment and global coordination.

The plan’s focus on monitoring methane emissions echoes parts of the U.S. - China Joint Glasgow Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s. The commitment of incentives and programs to reduce methane from the agricultural sector is far unfulfilled. Within the agricultural sector, the plan focuses on livestock and manure management, enteric fermentation in livestock, and rice field management, which account for more than 95% of the total agricultural methane emissions in China.

Main goals for the agricultural sector

During the "14th Five Year Plan" period (2021-2025), the methane emission intensity of agricultural products from units in the planting and animal/aquatic farming industries will maintain stable with a slighty declining trend, and the resource utilization rate of urban domestic waste and the harmless disposal rate of urban sludge will continue to increase across the country. During the "15th Five Year Plan" period (2025-2031), the methane emission intensity of agricultural products per unit of planting and animal/aquatic farming will be further reduced.

Key tasks for the agricultural sector

  1. Promote the resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure. Focusing on large scale livestock and poultry farms, improve livestock and poultry manure storage and treatment facilities and equipment, promote technologies such as closed treatment of manure, gas collection and utilization or treatment, establish a ledger for resource utilization of manure, explore the implementation of nutrient balance management of livestock and poultry manure, and improve the level of livestock and poultry manure treatment and resource utilization. Develop rural biogas according to local conditions, encourage qualified areas to build large scale biogas//bio natural gas projects, explore incentive and constraint mechanisms for biogas//bio natural gas terminal utilization, promote centralized biogas supply for heating, power generation and grid, and biogas vehicle use or integration into gas pipe network and other applications. By 2025, the comprehensive utilization rate of livestock and poultry manure will reach over 80%, and by 2030, it will reach over 85%.
  2. Scientifically control methane emissions from enteric fermentation. Focusing on large scale livestock and poultry farms, select and promote high yield and low emission livestock and poultry varieties, promote technologies such as low protein diets, whole plant silage, etc. and rationally use plant extracts, probiotics and other feed additives and multi-functional nutritional licking bricks. Improve livestock and poultry feeding management, implement precision feeding, explore high yield and low emission technology models, and guide the reduction of intestinal methane emissions per unit of livestock products.
  3. Promote methane emission control in rice fields in an orderly manner. Focusing on the main rice producing areas, strengthen rice field water management, promote water saving irrigation technology in rice fields according to local conditions, shorten the anaerobic environment time in rice fields, and reduce methane production and emissions per unit of rice. Improve fertilization management in rice fields and promote the return of composted organic fertilizer to the fields. Breed and promote high yield, high quality, water saving and drought resistant rice varieties, demonstrate key technologies such as aerobic farming, and form a high yield and low emission rice planting model.
Beeld: ©Climate and Energy Outlook

Organization and Implementation

  1. Strengthen overall planning and coordination.
  2. Strengthen the implementation of responsibilities.
  3. Strengthen publicity and training.
  4. Improve evaluation and supervision

As presented in the plan, much of the goals in the China agricultural sector are general and omit specific reduction targets. One specific target though stated that by 2025 “the comprehensive utilization rate of livestock and poultry manure will reach over 80%, and 85% by 2030”. This target fails to recognize that by MARA’s own data, as of July 2023, the comprehensive utilization rate of livestock and poultry manure already reached 78% (MARA report).

In the Netherlands, the efficient and cost-effective options to reduce methane emissions are urgently needed. 2/3 of the methane emissions come from animal husbandry, especially from cows. The Netherlands is the home to 1.6 million cows in 2022 (Zuivelnl). According to research of Wageningen University and Research, dairy cows make up for 77% of the methane emissions from the whole animal husbandry sector, 14% comes from pigs and the 9% from other animals, such as chickens, sheep, goats and horses.

After studying the plan of the Chinese government, maybe there are some takeaways for the Netherlands, maybe we can offer something to China, or maybe both?

To combat climate change (see also the image above), the Dutch government targets to reduce the Netherlands’ greenhouse gas emissions by 49% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and a 95% reduction by 2050. These goals are laid down in the Climate Act on May 28, 2019. The Dutch agricultural sector is facing the challenge to reduce the methane emissions by 2.1 Mton by 2030 (for dairy farming is 0.8Mton by 2030), and even further by 2050. Approximately 80% of the methane emissions of the dairy sector originates from enteric fermentation(WUR).

In 2018, Dutch greenhouse gas emissions were just under 15% below those of 1990. Roughly within this decade, emission reductions will have to be more than twice as large as they were over the past 30 years. Smarter, cleaner and more energy-efficient technical solutions to lower greenhouse gases are therefore on demand in the Netherlands.

Opportunities for the Netherlands in China

China does have a good plan with clear goals for the overall GHG emission. However, the concrete and scientific instruments to execute the plan and reach the goals are still missing. Therefore, opportunities are emerging and opening up to international advanced players like the Netherlands:

  1. New technologies in the field of veterinary medicine and life sciences for ruminants, such as the kinetic technique of in vitro ruminal fermentation.
  2. The feed additives which are used for the reduction of methane gas production in ruminants.
  3. The innovative manure management technologies for the entire livestock sector.
  4. A more scientific carbon market mechanism to include the methane in the range of gases covered by the carbon market, and promote the methane emission reduction.

December 2023

Written by Robbie Wang, Agricultural Advisor 

The above content is the author's personal opinion for reference only