Estimating the reduction potential of methane (CH4) emissions in order to provide some advices for reducing them in paddy ecosystem. In order to study the temporal and spatial variation characteristics and the reduction potential of CH4emissions, conducting a database of CH4emissions of rice growing seasons and rice growing area in the study area. From 2001 to 2010, both the rice growing area and the CH4emission of south Jiangsu province shown a declining trend. In these 10 years, total CH4emissions decreased by 29.90×1010g, a drop of 30.72%. Base on the rice growing area in 2010, the total reduction potential of CH4emissions was 46.18×1010g in south Jiangsu province. From 2001 to 2010, the difference of CH4emissions per unit area between the cities were not big, their CH4emissions reduction was mainly due to a reduction of rice growing area.
