Development of a Satellite-Based Emission Inventory of Crop Residue Burning in Pakistan

Abstract

This research focuses on open field burning emissions of crop residues in Pakistan for the year 2024. The study was conducted based on the two primary seasons, namely Rabi and Kharif. The Rabi season runs from October to November for sowing and ends for harvesting in March April, while the Kharif season starts during the monsoon in June and is harvested in early September. Four crop types from the Kharif and Rabi seasons, including sugarcane, wheat, rice, and maize were mainly focused. Open source satellite data was utilized for data collection comprising, fire hotspots data (VIIRS 375 m) and land cover data obtained from MODIS. The emission estimation followed the guidelines of the ABC Emission Inventory Manual (ABC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) manuals, using updated emission factors. The results show that wheat and rice are the two main air pollutant emitters in Pakistan. Most emissions, including CO2 (4220 Gg) and CO (383 Gg), are primarily contributed from wheat residue burning, whereas rice is a major source of CH4 and other air pollutants such as PM2.5. These differences are indicative of variations in burned area, residue characteristics, combustion conditions, and seasonal burning activities within the study area.