Maize residue emissions linked to broader N2O emissions from burning
Comparing Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues with Maize (corn) — Crop residues (Emissions N2O) across 140 countries, 1980–2050.
- Rank correlation
- +0.90
- Holding size constant
- +0.75
- Countries compared
- 140
- Period
- 1980–2050
What might link these
The strong correlation suggests that agricultural practices involving maize residue burning contribute significantly to total N2O emissions from burning. However, the relationship is not perfect, indicating other sources of N2O emissions also exist and are captured in the broader 'Emission Totals'.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. The correlation is reduced when controlling for population and GDP, suggesting these factors may influence both practices and emissions, potentially confounding the direct relationship.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.