Promoting sustainable transition for tea plantations through carbon incentives and offsets: A case study in Pu’er, Yunnan Province, China

Abstract

Tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. The transition to sustainable tea production is of paramount importance for the industry. This study assessed the carbon footprint of tea production in the Pu’er region, China, by integrating carbon sequestration and emissions using a “cradle-to-gate” lifecycle concept. Furthermore, a dualtier emission reduction simulations combining six measures and four scenarios was conducted to develop carbon offset and incentive standards for tea plantations based on their emission intensity. The results indicated that organic tea plantations had an average carbon emission of 1.24 t CO₂ eq ha⁻¹, while conventionally managed tea plantations had an average of 3.96 t CO₂ eq ha⁻¹. The carbon emissions of conventionally managed tea plantations exhibited considerable variability, and through cluster analysis, were categorized into high, medium, and low emission intensities. Compared with conventionally managed tea plantations of high, medium, and low intensities, organic tea exhibited significant reductions in carbon emissions of 76.92 %, 69.48 %, and 57.11 %, respectively, while increasing carbon sequestration by 25.33 %, 11.52 %, and 25.36 %, respectively. An integrated program of improved fertilizer management, optimized agricultural practices, and strengthened policy guidance resulted in a reduction of carbon emissions from conventional tea plantations by 48.02 %, 44.97 %, and 55.92 %, respectively, while the net carbon sink of organic tea plantations increased by 22.36 %. Various carbon incentive and offset standards scenarios were developed based on the emission intensities. The carbon incentives for conventional tea plantations ranged from 0.38 to 6.49 USD ha⁻¹ for single scenarios and 2.26 to 10.11 USD ha⁻¹ for combined scenarios, respectively. Carbon offsets for organic tea plantations ranged from 11.31 to 13.69 USD ha⁻¹ for combined scenarios. This study underscores the necessity for novel carbon management strategies in tea production and the significance of carbon offsets and incentives for low-carbon transformation of tea cultivation. This study is a valuable reference for other agricultural sectors pursuing sustainability and climate resilience.