This document discusses research at IRRI related to trade-offs in climate change. It summarizes several projects measuring greenhouse gas emissions from rice production. Alternate wetting and drying reduces CH4 emissions from rice but can increase N2O emissions. It also discusses developing a new methodology for the Clean Development Mechanism that establishes default values for reducing CH4 emissions through intermittent flooding in rice production. Accurate sampling is important for estimating seasonal GHG impacts. The research aims to balance scientific accuracy with potential impact.

1. Trade-offs in Climate Change
Research at IRRI
Dr. Björn Ole Sander
International Rice Research Institute
(funded by CCAFS Theme 3)
Wageningen 19/2/13

2. DANIDA project LUCCi
Improving Rice Tolerance of Submergence Land Use and Climate Change
and Salinity in Vietnamese Deltas interactions in Central Vietnam
SAMPLES
Measuring Mitigation Potential in
Smallholder Systems at
Whole-farm and Landscape Scales
ICON
Introducing non-flooded crops
into rice-dominated landscapes:
Impact on Carbon, Nitrogen, Water
MIRSA
GHG Mitigation in Irrigated Rice
Systems: Guidelines for
Measurem., Reporting, Verification
CLUES
Climate Change affecting Land Use
in the Mekong Delta: Adaptation of
Rice-based Cropping Systems
HydroRiceTech BAYER
Technologies for climate change mitigation and Collaboration on new Methodology
adaptation in rice based cropping systems in E. India for Clean Development Mechanism

3. Alternate-Wetting- and-Drying (AWD)
• Safe AWD = Irrigate when water depth ~ -15 cm
• Keep flooded until 15 DAT (weeds) and at flowering

4. GHG Emission Reduction
in Farmers’ Fields (Philippines)
CH4 emissions Tarlac
16
CF
14
AWD
12
mg CH4 / h*m2
10
“Global Warming Potential”
8
of Tarlac Rice Fields
6
GHG accounting
4 6
N2O
2
5 CH4
CO2eq (t / ha*season)
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Days after Transplanting 4
3
Seasonal CH4 emissions
in Farmers’ Rice Fields 2012 2
1
0
CF AWD
Sander et al., manuscript in preparation

5. CH4 reduction – N2O increase
Jiao et al., 2006

6. Angat River Irrigation System / Bulacan province
Angat
Dam
Bustos
Dam
Angat River
NMC
SMC
Service Area : 26,791 ha.
23,708 Farmer Beneficiaries in
20 municipalities of 2 provinces

8. New version of CDM methodology
for CH4 reduction in rice production
Default values for shifting from
continuous flooding to intermitted flooding:
“For regions/countries where double cropping
is practiced:
(i) Use reduction of 1.50 (kgCH4/ha/day) for project activities
that shift to intermittent flooding (single aeration);
(ii) Use reduction of 1.80 (kgCH4/ha/day) for project activities
that shift to intermittent flooding (multiple aeration);”

9. Summary
 # samplings – accurate seasonal GHG estimation
 CH 4 reduction – N 2 O increase
 AWD: less snails – more rats
 Water to Manila – water to farmers in Bulacan
 Scientific accuracy – bringing message across
(Scientific accuracy – having impact?)

10. Summary
 # samplings – accurate seasonal GHG estimation
 CH 4 reduction – N 2 O increase
 AWD: less snails – more rats
 Water to Manila – water to farmers in Bulacan
 Scientific accuracy – bringing message across
(Scientific accuracy – having impact?)