Rice feeds billions of people – but its role in fueling climate change is growing

There are ways to reduce emissions without sacrificing yield. A new study shows how, and looks at a technique billed as ‘climate-friendly’ that makes emissions worse.

By: Hanqin Tian, Boston College; Jingting Zhang, Boston College; Pep Canadell, CSIRO, and Shufen (Susan) Pan, Boston College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 22, 2026

Words: 1,327

Last Updated: 2 months ago

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By Hanqin Tian, Boston College; Jingting Zhang, Boston College; Pep Canadell, CSIRO, and Shufen (Susan) Pan, Boston College

Rice feeds more than half the world. From terraced paddies in Southeast Asia to irrigated fields in China and India, it underpins daily meals for billions of people.

But the same flooded soils that help rice thrive also create ideal conditions for microbes that release climate-warming gases.

In a new study, our team of …

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