Comparative Inventory Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Technologies in the Cropland Sector and Policy Implications for Korea
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| Title: | Comparative Inventory Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Technologies in the Cropland Sector and Policy Implications for Korea |
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| Authors: | Su-Heon Jang, Taeyoung Kim, Seong-Jik Park |
| Source: | 대한환경공학회지, Vol 47, Iss 9, Pp 661-680 (2025) |
| Publisher Information: | Korean Society of Environmental Engineers, 2025. |
| Publication Year: | 2025 |
| Collection: | LCC:Environmental engineering |
| Subject Terms: | cropland, greenhouse gas, emission factor, inventory, Environmental engineering, TA170-171 |
| Description: | In response to the increasing urgency of climate change mitigation and the pursuit of carbon neutrality, the role of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in the agricultural sector has garnered significant attention. In particular, the cropland sector—responsible for a large share of anthropogenic methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions—requires tailored mitigation strategies aligned with distinct crop systems and soil management practices. This study investigates and compares GHG mitigation technologies and their integration into national inventory systems across eight countries: Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The objective is to identify differences in inventory representation levels (based on intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) Tier 1–3 classification), and to provide policy recommendations for improving South Korea’s GHG accounting system. We first categorized mitigation strategies by crop type: paddy fields, where anaerobic conditions drive CH4 emissions, and upland fields, where N2O is primarily released through nitrification and denitrification. Key technologies examined include mid-season drainage, intermittent irrigation, alternate wetting and drying (AWD), biochar, and silicate fertilizers for rice systems; and no-tillage, nitrification inhibitors, cover crops, crop rotation, and biochar for upland systems. Each was assessed based on its mechanistic pathways, empirical mitigation effects, and degree of integration into national reporting through emission factors (EFs), activity data, and simulation modeling. Our results reveal that Japan and the U.S. have established advanced Tier 2–3 inventory structures supported by country-specific EFs and modeling frameworks such as denitrification–decomposition (DNDC) and daily century (DayCent) models. These countries have also institutionalized regular activity data collection and policy linkage. In contrast, Korea has only integrated mid-season drainage into its inventory at Tier 2 level, with most other technologies, especially those applicable to upland systems, remaining at Tier 1 or excluded altogether. Other countries such as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines are undergoing regional trials, while Indonesia remains in a research phase with minimal institutional adoption. These findings suggest that Korea’s current inventory system requires expansion beyond rice-based CH4 mitigation to include upland N2O reduction measures. There is a need to establish crop- and region-specific EFs, long-term field data, and simulation-based estimation methods to support inventory inclusion and policy design. Moreover, stronger alignment is needed between mitigation technologies and incentive-based policies such as direct payment programs, voluntary offset schemes, and environmental stewardship initiatives. This study offers a scientific basis for advancing the national GHG inventory in Korea’s agricultural sector and enhancing the integration of mitigation technologies into climate policy frameworks. |
| Document Type: | article |
| File Description: | electronic resource |
| Language: | English Korean |
| ISSN: | 1225-5025 2383-7810 |
| Relation: | http://www.jksee.or.kr/upload/pdf/KSEE-2025-47-9-661.pdf; https://doaj.org/toc/1225-5025; https://doaj.org/toc/2383-7810 |
| DOI: | 10.4491/KSEE.2025.47.9.661 |
| Access URL: | https://doaj.org/article/45e310da7e5c423c8a2dc421820155cc |
| Accession Number: | edsdoj.45e310da7e5c423c8a2dc421820155cc |
| Database: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | In response to the increasing urgency of climate change mitigation and the pursuit of carbon neutrality, the role of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in the agricultural sector has garnered significant attention. In particular, the cropland sector—responsible for a large share of anthropogenic methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions—requires tailored mitigation strategies aligned with distinct crop systems and soil management practices. This study investigates and compares GHG mitigation technologies and their integration into national inventory systems across eight countries: Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The objective is to identify differences in inventory representation levels (based on intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) Tier 1–3 classification), and to provide policy recommendations for improving South Korea’s GHG accounting system. We first categorized mitigation strategies by crop type: paddy fields, where anaerobic conditions drive CH4 emissions, and upland fields, where N2O is primarily released through nitrification and denitrification. Key technologies examined include mid-season drainage, intermittent irrigation, alternate wetting and drying (AWD), biochar, and silicate fertilizers for rice systems; and no-tillage, nitrification inhibitors, cover crops, crop rotation, and biochar for upland systems. Each was assessed based on its mechanistic pathways, empirical mitigation effects, and degree of integration into national reporting through emission factors (EFs), activity data, and simulation modeling. Our results reveal that Japan and the U.S. have established advanced Tier 2–3 inventory structures supported by country-specific EFs and modeling frameworks such as denitrification–decomposition (DNDC) and daily century (DayCent) models. These countries have also institutionalized regular activity data collection and policy linkage. In contrast, Korea has only integrated mid-season drainage into its inventory at Tier 2 level, with most other technologies, especially those applicable to upland systems, remaining at Tier 1 or excluded altogether. Other countries such as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines are undergoing regional trials, while Indonesia remains in a research phase with minimal institutional adoption. These findings suggest that Korea’s current inventory system requires expansion beyond rice-based CH4 mitigation to include upland N2O reduction measures. There is a need to establish crop- and region-specific EFs, long-term field data, and simulation-based estimation methods to support inventory inclusion and policy design. Moreover, stronger alignment is needed between mitigation technologies and incentive-based policies such as direct payment programs, voluntary offset schemes, and environmental stewardship initiatives. This study offers a scientific basis for advancing the national GHG inventory in Korea’s agricultural sector and enhancing the integration of mitigation technologies into climate policy frameworks. |
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| ISSN: | 12255025 23837810 |
| DOI: | 10.4491/KSEE.2025.47.9.661 |