Greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and decision support for the utilization of agricultural waste systems: A case study of Jiangxi Province, China

Abstract

Taking the agriculture waste system in Jiangxi Province as a case study, we strive to investigate how the resource flow and greenhouse gas mitigation can be considered as a basis for policy arrangements and sustainable use of agrowaste. In this case, we apply a combination of material flow analysis, life cycle assessment and objective optimization model, with a wide range of observed data in 2020. The salient results reveal that: 1) Co-distribution of straw and manure in bioenergy facilities contributes most to greenhouse gas mitigation. 2) The results of scenario analysis suggest that when the percentage of agrowaste goes from 4.41% to 8.61%, the current greenhouse gas mitigation potential increases by about 3.3 times subsequently. 3) Calculated by an objective optimization model, the maximum greenhouse gas mitigation capacity can be 16.44 × 108t CO2e in Jiangxi. Our proposed framework provides a comprehensive instrument to assess the environmental performance of improving waste utilization efficiency and greenhouse gas mitigation, with wide applicability and reference significance in countries and regions with major cropping and livestock industries. Great emphasis should be placed on synergistic disposal between multiple sectors to improve the sustainable supply of agricultural waste systems.