Spatiotemporal variations of farmland crop residue burning in China from 2013 to 2022

Farmland crop residue burning (FCRB) significantly impacts air quality, necessitating understanding its spatiotemporal variations to evaluate control measures and guide future policies. This study analyzes FCRB across China from 2013 to 2022 using remote sensing technology and spatiotemporal analysis. Results indicate that the first phase (2013–2017) of the “Clean Air Action” control measures has been proven ineffective, with a 30.9 % increase in FCRB. Effective measures implemented in the second phase (2018–2020) resulted in a reduction of 41.4 % and led to a decrease of 34.3 % in 2022 compared to 2013. FCRB exhibits significant seasonal and regional variations, with a 69 % decrease in autumn and a 23 % increase in spring. While the variations in FCRB across regions are found to be significantly negatively correlated with the stringency of control measures, there is a 61.2 % reduction in the central region, 42.4 % in the western region, 29.7 % in the eastern region with the highest intra-regional disparities, and only 4.5 % in the northeastern region, which is attributed to the high FCRB in Heilongjiang province. FCRB demonstrates the “club convergence” phenomenon and the spillover effects of adjacent provinces, leading to high-high clusters in the northeastern region, emphasizing the need for region-specific control measures (e.g., Heilongjiang province in the northeastern) and the implementation of similar control measures in adjacent areas. Additionally, it is necessary to avoid the rebound phenomenon determined by the analysis of the kernel density estimation curve. Our findings underscore the importance of tailored strategies in managing FCRB and improving air quality in critical areas.