The Interconnectedness of Land–Crops–Livestock and Environmental Quality in Emerging Asian Economies: Challenges of Agriculturalization and Carbonization

The release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is a major contributor to global warming, endangering both human and nonhuman well-being, environmental integrity, economic development, and the planet’s long-term survival. This study delves into the interplay between crop production, livestock production, fertilizer utilization, and agricultural land usage on CO2 emissions in four Asian economies: China, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Employing panel data analysis techniques, the research uncovers the significant impacts of various agricultural activities on environmental degradation. The findings derived from the panel autoregressive distributed lag (PARDL) estimation reveal that crop production in these emerging economies contributes to CO2 emissions, as evidenced by the positive coefficients and statistically significant results. Similarly, livestock production and agricultural land used for crop production exhibit a substantial impact on CO2 emissions, further highlighting their role in environmental degradation. While fertilizer usage also displays a positive coefficient, its impact on CO2 emissions is not statistically significant. The results of our study highlight the critical importance of addressing the environmental impacts of agricultural practices, particularly in emerging economies. Crop and livestock production, along with the expansion of agricultural land, significantly contribute to CO2 emissions, which underscores the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices. These findings suggest that policymakers should prioritize the development and implementation of strategies that mitigate the environmental impacts of agriculture. This could include promoting sustainable land management practices, investing in technology that reduces emissions from crop and livestock production, and encouraging the adoption of eco-friendly fertilizers.