The Evolutionary Traits of Carbon Emissions from the Planting Industry in Beijing, China

Making clear the exact amount of carbon emissions from the planting industry is of great significance for developing low-carbon agriculture and helping achieve carbon neutrality. The current carbon emissions from the planting industry in Beijing, the capital of China, are still unclear, and there is a lack of quantitative research on the production, economic, and ecological benefits of carbon emissions. This paper used the carbon emissions factor method to study the inter-annual variation characteristics of carbon emissions and carbon benefits in Beijing’s planting industry since 2000. The results show that the carbon emissions from the planting industry in Beijing in 2023 were 256,400 tons, of which the carbon emissions from agricultural inputs, nitrous oxide (N₂O) from farmland, and methane (CH₄) from rice cultivation were 149,300, 105,200, and 2000 tons, respectively. From 2000 to 2023, the total carbon emissions from the planting industry in Beijing have shown a downward trend. Compared with 2000, the carbon emissions from agricultural inputs and N₂O in 2023 decreased by 59.88% and 74.52%, respectively. The carbon emissions of CH₄ from rice cultivation were only 2.38% of those in 2000, and the total carbon emissions from the planting industry in Beijing decreased by 70.43%. The average carbon emissions from agricultural inputs and N₂O accounted for 50.85% and 47.95% of the total level of the planting industry, respectively, and were the main sources of carbon emissions in Beijing. Chemical fertilizer and agricultural film inputs were important sources of carbon emissions from agricultural inputs. Reducing inputs for agriculture and sources of N₂O from farmland is an important way to reduce carbon emissions from agriculture in Beijing. In the end, some suggestions were proposed for reducing carbon emissions from the planting industry.