Mapping greenhouse gas emissions from global cropland circa 2020

<title>Abstract</title> Spatially explicit cropland greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and management data are crucial for developing effective climate change mitigation strategies and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This study presents high-resolution (5 arc-minute) global maps of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from agricultural activities across 46 crops circa 2020, referred to as emissions from croplands. Emission sources include synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use, manure application, crop residue incorporation, in-field residue burning, rice cultivation, and drained peatlands for cropping. Our findings indicate that global GHG emissions from croplands reached 2.7 Gt CO₂e in 2020, with drained peatlands (35%), rice paddies (35%), and synthetic N fertilizer (22%) as the primary contributors. The four major crop contributors-rice, maize, oil palm, and wheat-accounted for about 60% of total emissions. These results provide critical insights for effectively targeting GHG mitigation efforts and identifying key regions and crops within high-emission countries, enabling more precise and impactful climate action.