Current status of carbon neutrality in Chinese rice fields (2002-2017) and strategies for its achievement

China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 to address global climate change, and achieving carbon neutrality in rice fields is a vital component of this commitment. However, the current status of carbon neutrality in rice fields in China is unclear, and there are few feasible strategies to achieve its successful implementation. Therefore, this study calculated the net carbon sequestration rate (NCSR, i.e., carbon sequestration minus carbon emissions) of rice fields in China from 2002 to 2017 to clarify the carbon neutrality status of Chinese rice fields. Furthermore, the effects of field management measures, rice sown area, and rice yield on NCSR were analyzed to identify suitable carbon neutralization pathways in Chinese rice fields. Our findings indicated that the annual carbon sequestration rate in rice fields was lower than the carbon emissions, resulting in continuous net emissions of 195.49 Tg CO₂-eq yr^-1. The NCSR of paddy fields increased first and then decreased with increases in rice sown area and yield. Meta-analysis indicated that management measures such as water conservation and biochar significantly increased NCSR by ~5766.50 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 yr^-1 and 22,296.62 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 yr^-1, respectively. Our findings suggests that proper control of rice sown area and the adoption of reasonable field management measures (water conservation and biochar) can promote carbon neutrality in Chinese rice fields.