Livestock production is a major source of agricultural methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), making the synergistic mitigation of these two gases essential for meeting climate targets. Based on the EDGAR emission database from 2000 to 2024, this study employs international comparisons, spatial analysis, and STIRPAT-based scenario projections to characterize emissions from China’s animal husbandry and explore pathways for synergistic mitigation. The results reveal that China’s livestock CH4 emissions exhibited a trend of early-stage fluctuation followed by a late-stage rebound, while N2O emissions fluctuated sharply. The two gases are strongly synergistic yet driven by distinct mechanisms. China accounts for the largest share of global emissions and exhibits a distinctive emission structure—with comparable contributions from enteric fermentation and rice paddies—setting it apart from both pasture-based and intensive developed countries. High-emission areas are becoming increasingly concentrated in northern production regions. Under the baseline scenario, CH4 and N2O emissions are projected to peak in 2032 and 2030, respectively; under an ultra-low-carbon scenario, both gases peak around 2029, at substantially lower levels. Achieving synergistic mitigation calls for a regionally differentiated framework that combines top-down governance with bottom-up participation from farmers, integrating enteric fermentation control with optimized manure management to support a low-carbon transition.
Yang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.