A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains

This report by RMI examines the environmental impact of synthetic fertilizers and analyzes China's integrated governance framework for reducing fertilizer use and improving efficiency over the last ten years as part of a broader low-carbon transition.

• The production of nitrogen fertilizers is characterized by high energy and emission intensity due to a heavy reliance on coal and natural gas, resulting in a carbon intensity that exceeds that of cement and crude steel.
• Croplands are a major human-made source of nitrous oxide emissions, which are released during the breakdown of nitrogen fertilizers in fields, contributing more than one-third of the global total.
• Over the last ten years, China has implemented an integrated governance framework that combines policy guidance, market mechanisms, and technology to coordinate the low-carbon transition of both the production and application of fertilizers.

APA

RMI (2025). A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains. https://rmi.org/resources/a-decade-of-transformation-chinas-path-to-fertilizer-reduction-and-efficiency-gains/

Chicago

RMI. A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains. 2025. https://rmi.org/resources/a-decade-of-transformation-chinas-path-to-fertilizer-reduction-and-efficiency-gains/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains |date=5 December 2025 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/a-decade-of-transformation-chinas-path-to-fertilizer-reduction-and-efficiency-gains/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2025decade, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/a-decade-of-transformation-chinas-path-to-fertilizer-reduction-and-efficiency-gains/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }