Integrated livestock sector nitrogen pollution abatement measures could generate net benefits for human and ecosystem health in China

Zhu, Zhiping; Zhang, Xiuming; Dong, Hongmin; Wang, Sitong; Reis, Stefan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2428-8320; Li, Yue; Gu, Baojing. 2022 Integrated livestock sector nitrogen pollution abatement measures could generate net benefits for human and ecosystem health in China. Nature Food, 3 (2). 161-168. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00462-6

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00462-6

Abstract/Summary

Nearly one quarter of global meat production occurs in China, but a lack of detailed spatial livestock production data hinders ongoing pollution mitigation strategies. Here we generate high-resolution maps of livestock systems in China using over 480,000 farm surveys from 2007 to 2017, finding that China produced more livestock protein with fewer animals and less total pollution impact through better breeding, feeding and manure management in large-scale livestock farms. Hotspots of production can be observed across the North China Plain, Northeastern China and the Sichuan Basin. The Clean Water Act reduced manure nutrient losses to water by one third, but with limited changes to methane and ammonia emissions. Integrated production and consumption abatement measures costing approximately US$6 billion could further reduce livestock pollution by 2050, realizing benefits of up to US$30 billion due to avoided human health and ecosystem costs.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00462-6
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2662-1355
Additional Keywords:	agriculture, sustainability
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Health Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	04 Apr 2022 14:10 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/532168

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00462-6

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

2662-1355

Additional Keywords:

agriculture, sustainability

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Health
Atmospheric Sciences