Sustainable livestock and poultry manure management considering carbon trading

The impact of carbon trading on the strategic interactions among Small and Medium-Scale Livestock and Poultry Farms (SMS-LPFs), Third-Party Companies (TPCs), and The Local Government (TLG) in manure management remains a significant research gap. Using a combination of evolutionary game theory and system dynamics, along with extensive real-world case investigations, the study finds that: (1) Carbon trading can facilitate the transition from government-led governance to market-driven governance. The equilibrium strategy involves TLGs adopting a flexible regulatory approach, SMS-LPFs collaborating with TPCs, and TPCs participating in carbon trading while reducing manure transfer costs. (2) Fluctuations in carbon trading prices consistently impact the pace of strategy evolution for SMS-LPFs and TPCs. As cooperation between the two increases, the impact of price fluctuations on TLG strategies becomes minimal. (3) The well-thought-out allocation of low-carbon bonuses will accelerate the market-driven governance process, demonstrating the effectiveness of the "reward instead of punishment" strategy for TLGs. In summary, this study provides practical value and academic contributions to managing livestock and poultry manure in reaching carbon neutrality goals.