GHG Emissions from Paddy Fields

It is identified that paddy cultivation under flooded conditions contributes nearly 10% to 12% of global greenhouse gases, and methane and nitrous oxide are identified as dominant GHG emissions that will act as climate pollutants. Methane is a dangerous, potent GHG that can expedite global warming and is a chronic hazard for human and animal health. It also can act as a climate pollutant much more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO₂), experimentally determined as ten times more potent for global warming of the atmosphere. Therefore it is essential to control methane emissions from paddy under flooded conditions all over the world, especially in Sri Lanka. This critical aspect can be achieved by appropriate water management techniques such as AWD for rice cultivation scientifically without affecting crop yield.