Livestock methane emissions in China: Spatiotemporal dynamics and mitigation strategies

Livestock methane emissions, as the dominant anthropogenic CH₄ source, present critical mitigation opportunities through targeted strategies. China's status as the world's largest livestock producer positions makes its mitigation actions pivotal for global climate governance priorities. Here we analyze the spatial-temporal characteristics of China's livestock methane emissions at the city level (2010—2020), integrating production and consumption perspectives to evaluate mitigation potential. Results revealed that the spatial heterogeneity of emissions varied by species and shifted from east to west, with the degree of spatial emission clustering initially decreasing and then increasing. Scenario analysis reveals methane emissions could reach 17.56 Tg by 2030 without mitigation measures, production-side mitigation strategies could reduce emissions by 22.36 %, while consumption-side interventions could achieve an 8.24 % reduction. Further reductions can be attained addressing food loss and waste. Integrated strategies could result in a reduction of 37.13 %. Our study provides empirical support and policy insights for China's methane mitigation strategies.