Nexus between climate change, agricultural output, fertilizer use, agriculture soil emissions: Novel implications in the context of environmental management

Abstract

In evaluating the influence of greenhouse gases (GHGs) on climate change, the effectiveness of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) is intricately tied to their atmospheric turnover rates, which play a crucial role in their heat-trapping capacity. Understanding the dynamics of how these gases cycle through the atmosphere is essential for assessing their respective contributions to the greenhouse effect and, consequently, their impact on global warming and climate change. The prime objective of this research is to examine the role of climatic change, agriculture output, and fertilizer use on the agriculture soil's greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, the present study has focused on the temperature of land, fertilizer consumption, crop and livestock production, and energy used in agriculture soils on the pollution level of agricultural soils. The study further delineates the intricate interdependencies between climate change factors and GHG emissions using novel econometric methodologies, specifically the PMG-ARDL, SC-ARDL, and Dumitrescu Hurlin Panel Causality frameworks. In doing so, we use a large panel dataset spanning 1990 to 2020. The estimations show that climate change, as measured by variations in terrestrial temperature, has a discernible and positive impact on GHG emissions over the short and long term. Energy consumption and livestock production positively correlate with GHG emissions, with the former having a more pronounced effect. The implications of fertilizer usage and overall crop yield become noticeably significant in the long term. It emphasizes the importance of using a diachronic perspective when assessing GHG emissions in the agricultural sector. It is also worth noting that agricultural land use appears to negatively impact GHG emissions, emphasizing the importance of implementing sustainable land management practices to mitigate adverse environmental consequences. The study also explores the causality between climate change, agricultural practices, and GHG emissions, revealing a bidirectional association between climatic change and soil emissions. Additionally, unidirectional causation is observed from fertilizer consumption and crop production to emissions, underscoring the importance of adopting sustainable agricultural practices to reduce emissions. The findings offer valuable insights for governments and researchers to create sustainability-related strategies for dealing with climate change issues, safeguarding natural resources, and ensuring a sustainable future for agriculture.