China’s Tea Industry: Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Mitigation Potential

Long Liang, Bradley G. Ridoutt, Liyuan Wang, Bin Xie, Minghong Li and Zhongbai Li
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Long Liang: The Strategy Research Institute of Rural Revitalization, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang 550025, China
Bradley G. Ridoutt: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
Liyuan Wang: Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Science, Shanghai 201403, China
Bin Xie: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Minghong Li: Economic Crops Station of Luzhou City, Luzhou 646000, China
Zhongbai Li: Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Panzhou City, Panzhou 553537, China

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Tea is an important cash crop and a beverage that is widely consumed across the world. In China (the largest producer of tea), the industry is growing, and there is a need to understand current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and sequestrations and the potential for mitigation so that climate action can be strategically undertaken. Life cycle assessment and carbon footprint methods were used to quantify emissions in tea cultivation and processing in the 16 major producing regions for the year 2017. The system boundary was from cradle to factory gate, which was divided into three subsystems, namely agricultural materials production, tea production and tea processing. Several units of analysis were chosen: the production region (province), the production area (ha) and the product (kg loose tea), etc. Total GHG emissions were 28.75 Mt CO 2 eq, which were mainly attributable to energy use in tea processing (41%), fertilizer production (31.6%) and soil emissions (26.7%). This equated to 12.0 t CO 2 eq per ha and 10.8 kg CO 2 eq per kg processed tea. Production in Hubei, Yunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Fujian provinces contributed almost two thirds of industry emissions, representing priority areas for strategic action to reduce GHG emissions. At the same time, the total carbon sink amounted to 21.37 MtCO 2 , representing 74.3% of total GHG emissions. The proportions stored in soil, biomass, and tea production were 49.3%, 30.0%, and 20.7%, respectively. If best recommended management practices for fertilizer application were adopted and biomass was used as a source of energy for tea processing, the GHG emissions reduction potential was 16.66 Mt CO 2 eq, or 58% of total emissions. The GHG emissions associated with tea production and processing in China appeared high by comparison to other regions of the world. However, considering the carbon sink and emissions reduction potential, the tea industry should be viewed as an important sector for climate action. Moreover, the potential for substantial GHG emissions reduction through the adoption of improved practices seems very realistic. There may also be additional opportunities for GHG emissions reduction through the development of organic tea cultivation systems.

Keywords: agriculture; carbon footprint; carbon sink; climate action; climate change; life cycle assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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