Recently, the Chinese Association of Agricultural Science Societies organized experts to evaluate the innovative achievements titled "Innovation and Application of Methane Monitoring, Accounting Standards, and Emission Reduction Technologies in Paddy Fields of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River," led by the Climate Change and Carbon Reduction & Sequestration Team at the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture. Addressing the national priorities of ensuring high and stable rice yields while achieving low-carbon emission reduction, the achievements have delivered innovative outcomes in methane monitoring technologies and equipment, accounting methodologies, emission reduction technologies, and integrated models. The overall results have reached internationally advanced levels.

As China's largest core region for high and stable rice production, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River contribute over 50% of the nation's total rice output and sown area annually, playing a pivotal "ballast" role in ensuring national food security. Simultaneously, this region represents a significant agricultural methane emission source in China. Since 2005, the research team has conducted systematic and in-depth studies on paddy field methane reduction with the goals of "precision monitoring, standardized accounting, and stable yields with low carbon." The team has developed whole-process methane accounting standards for paddy fields, established the multi-model Agro-GHG platform for carbon emission accounting in paddy systems, and built a methane monitoring network across the Yangtze River basin. Furthermore, an integrated technical system of "seed-water-carbon-nitrogen synergy" has been implemented, incorporating strategies such as water-adapted rice varieties, water management for carbon control, straw biochar incorporation, and organic fertilizer substitution. This comprehensive approach promotes the application of a coordinated "monitoring-accounting-reduction" model for achieving stable yields and low-carbon production in the region, fostering a win-win scenario for rice productivity and ecological sustainability and effectively advancing the low-carbon, sustainable development of rice production in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.