Review on carbon emissions,energy consumption and low-carbon economy in China from a perspective of global climate change

Accompanying the rapid growth of China’s population and economy, energy consumption and carbon emission increased significantly from 1978 to 2012. China is now the largest energy consumer and CO₂ emitter of the world, leading to much interest in researches on the nexus between energy consumption, carbon emissions and low-carbon economy. This article presents the domestic Chinese studies on this hotpot issue, and we obtain the following findings. First, most research fields involve geography, ecology and resource economics, and research contents contained some analysis of current situation, factors decomposition, predictive analysis and the introduction of methods and models. Second, there exists an inverted “U-shaped” curve connection between carbon emission, energy consumption and economic development. Energy consumption in China will be in a low-speed growth after 2035 and it is expected to peak between 6.19–12.13 billion TCE in 2050. China’s carbon emissions are expected to peak in 2035, or during 2020 to 2045, and the optimal range of carbon emissions is between 2.4–3.3 PgC/year (1 PgC=1 billion tons C) in 2050. Third, future research should be focused on global carbon trading, regional carbon flows, reforming the current energy structure, reducing energy consumption and innovating the low-carbon economic theory, as well as establishing a comprehensive theoretical system of energy consumption, carbon emissions and low-carbon economy.     

中国钢铁产品国际贸易流与碳排放跨境转移

控制温室气体排放最终要落实到不同国家、不同行业之间的利益分配和责任分担,尤其是通过国际商品贸易转移的碳排放是在国家间分配排放配额时必须考虑的指标。基于中国钢铁产品国际贸易流的分析表明,中国在国际钢铁产品贸易中处于垂直产业内贸易的低端,中国具有比较优势的钢铁产品多为加工程度低、技术含量低、能源消耗强度大的初级产品。由于我国进出口钢铁产品在附加价值和能源消耗强度方面存在明显的差异,随着中国钢铁产品国际贸易规模的扩大,使大量CO₂排放责任向中国净转移。我国学者应以更加积极的姿态参与到国际谈判、国际规则的制订中,从产品生产者和消费者两个层面合理界定中国在全球温室气体减排中的责任,力争在气候变化国际谈判中确保中国的经济贸易利益。     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions from cement industry in China: A bottom-up estimation from factory to regional and national levels

Much attention is being given to estimating cement-related CO₂ emissions in China. However, scant explicit and systematical exploration is being done on regional and national CO₂ emission volumes. The aim of this work is therefore to provide an improved bottom-up spatial-integration system, relevant to CO₂ emissions at factory level, to allow a more accurate estimation of the CO₂ emissions from cement production. Based on this system, the sampling data of cement production lines were integrated as regional- and national-level information. The integration results showed that each ton of clinker produced 883 kg CO₂, of which the process, fuel, and electricity emissions accounted for 58.70%, 35.97%, and 5.33%, respectively. The volume of CO₂ emissions from clinker and cement production reached 1202 Mt and 1284 Mt, respectively, in 2013. A discrepancy was identified between the clinker emission factors relevant to the two main production processes (i.e., the new suspension preheating and pre-calcining kiln (NSP) and the vertical shaft kiln (VSK)), probably relevant to the energy efficiency of the two technologies. An analysis of the spatial characteristics indicated that the spatial distribution of the clinker emission factors mainly corresponded to that of the NSP process. The discrepancy of spatial pattern largely complied with the economic and population distribution pattern of China. The study could fill the knowledge gaps and provide role players with a useful spatial integration system that should facilitate the accurate estimation of carbon and corresponding regional mitigation strategies in China.     

我国低碳经济发展框架初步研究

在哥本哈根世界气候变化大会上,我国向世界承诺2020年单位国内生产总值的二氧化碳排放量比2005年下降40％~45％。本文在对已有研究成果进行系统梳理的基础上,分析了影响我国碳排放的主要因素,核算了主要减排途径的碳减排潜力,提出了至2020年我国发展低碳经济的基本框架。研究发现,碳排放强度与产业结构演化之间存在倒U字形曲线关系,发展模式转变和产业结构调整取得实质性成效是实现2020年减排目标的前提。此外,工业技术节能、建筑节能和道路交通节能也还都有一定的潜力。在不同情景下,工业技术节能对实现2020年减排目标的贡献程度在12%~14%之间,建筑节能和增加非化石能源规模分别可以起到10%左右的贡献,道路交通节能的贡献率在2%~3%之间。     

Quantitative analysis of the impact factors of conventional energy carbon emissions in Kazakhstan based on LMDI decomposition and STIRPAT model

Quantitative analysis of the impact factors in energy-related CO₂ emissions serves as an important guide for reducing carbon emissions and building an environmentally-friendly society. This paper aims to use LMDI method and a modified STIRPAT model to research the conventional energy-related CO₂ emissions in Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The results show that the trajectory of CO₂ emissions displayed U-shaped curve from 1992 to 2013. Based on the extended Kaya identity and additive LMDI method, we decomposed total CO₂ emissions into four influencing factors. Of those, the economic active effect is the most influential factor driving CO₂ emissions, which produced 110.86 Mt CO₂ emissions, with a contribution rate of 43.92%. The second driving factor is the population effect, which led to 11.87 Mt CO₂ emissions with a contribution rate of 4.7%. On the contrary, the energy intensity effect is the most inhibiting factor, which caused–110.90 Mt CO₂ emissions with a contribution rate of–43.94%, followed by the energy carbon structure effect resulting in–18.76 Mt CO₂ emissions with a contribution rate of–7.43%. In order to provide an in-depth examination of the change response between energy-related CO₂ emissions and each impact factor, we construct a modified STIRPAT model based on ridge regression estimation. The results indicate that for every 1% increase in population size, economic activity, energy intensity and energy carbon structure, there is a subsequent increase in CO₂ emissions of 3.13%, 0.41%, 0.30% and 0.63%, respectively.     

An Analysis of Environmental and Economic Impacts of Fossil Fuel Production in the U.S. from 2001 to 2015

The production and burning of fossil fuels is the primary contributor to CO₂ emissions for the U.S. We assess the impact of producing coal, crude oil, and natural gas on the environment and economic well-being by analyzing state-level data from 2001 to 2015. Our findings show that coal production has led to more CO₂ emissions and no significant benefit to economic well-being. Crude oil production has a non-significant impact on CO₂ emissions but is related to a lower poverty rate, a higher median household income, and a higher employment rate. Natural gas withdrawals have a positive impact on median household income. We discuss these findings in the context of current U.S. energy policies and then provide directions for future research.     

CO2 emissions and their bearing on China＇s economic development： the long view

Greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions in China have aroused much interest, and not least in recent evidence of their reduction. Our intent is to place that reduction in a larger context, that of the process of industrialization. A lengthy time perspective is combined with a cross-sectional approachChina plus five other countries-and addressed through two general models. The findings are salutary. First, they suggest that a diversified economic structure is consistent with diminished intensity in energy use. Secondly, and the obverse of the first, they imply that a diversified energy structure promotes reductions in CO2 emissions. Finally, one is led inevitably to the conclusion that, together, the findings point to a path for countries to transform their economies while at the same time undertaking to drastically moderate their energy use, switching from a pattern of heavy carbon emissions to one in which lighter carbon emissions prevail. The implications of such findings for environmental management are enormous.     

Urbanization,economic growth,and carbon dioxide emissions in China: A panel cointegration and causality analysis

Elucidating the complex mechanism between urbanization, economic growth, carbon dioxide emissions is fundamental necessary to inform effective strategies on energy saving and emission reduction in China. Based on a balanced panel data of 31 provinces in China over the period 1997-2010, this study empirically examines the relationships among urbanization, economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions at the national and regional levels using panel cointegration and vector error correction model and Granger causality tests. Results showed that urbanization, economic growth and CO₂ emissions are integrated of order one. Urbanization contributes to economic growth, both of which increase CO₂ emissions in China and its eastern, central and western regions. The impact of urbanization on CO₂ emissions in the western region was larger than that in the eastern and central regions. But economic growth had a larger impact on CO₂ emissions in the eastern region than that in the central and western regions. Panel causality analysis revealed a bidirectional long-run causal relationship among urbanization, economic growth and CO₂ emissions, indicating that in the long run, urbanization does have a causal effect on economic growth in China, both of which have causal effect on CO₂ emissions. At the regional level, we also found a bidirectional long-run causality between land urbanization and economic growth in eastern and central China. These results demonstrated that it might be difficult for China to pursue carbon emissions reduction policy and to control urban expansion without impeding economic growth in the long run. In the short-run, we observed a unidirectional causation running from land urbanization to CO₂ emissions and from economic growth to CO₂ emissions in the eastern and central regions. Further investigations revealed an inverted N-shaped relationship between CO₂ emissions and economic growth in China, not supporting the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. Our empirical findings have an important reference value for policy-makers in formulating effective energy saving and emission reduction strategies for China.     

道路交通节能减排途径与潜力分析

交通运输行业是仅次于制造业的第二大油品消耗行业,也是实现低碳生活发展路径的重点行业。基于交通运输部门碳排放量现状分析,本文提出了优先发展公共交通、鼓励发展小排量汽车、降低机动车单耗、控制排放物标准等四种挖潜减排途径,并利用排放量估算和情景分析相结合的方法,对我国道路交通减排潜力进行了预测。按照高中低度三种减排情景发展,测算出2015年及2020年减排量,为实现至2020年我国碳排放较2005年下降40%~45%的目标提供科学基础。研究认为:2010-2020年是中国交通运输行业高速发展阶段,要满足能源安全和温室气体减排要求,我国需要实施更严格的产业和环境政策,若强化低碳情景模式,则2015年、2020年的碳排减少量分别约为2183万t、7148万t,达到我国道路交通部门的最大减排潜力。     

中国能源保障基本形势分析

国家能源保障目标由两部分组成： 第一,能源供应的稳定性,指满足国家人口发展正常需 求的能源供应保障的稳定程度;第二,能源使用的安全性,指能源消费及使用不应对人类自身的 生存与发展环境构成任何威胁。本文从影响能源保障的能源资源基础、生产与消费、运输、生产与 消费对环境影响等方面分析了中国能源保障的基本形势, 总体来说中国目前能源保障重点集中 在能源供应保障层面上, 立足于自身的资源基础及生产与消费空间高度分离的特点建立起了庞 大的能源保障体系, 对能源使用安全尽管已经引起了高度的重视, 但是由于现实经济的压力和认 识上的不足实质性的措施还很少。未来我国应该立足能源保障基本形势, 从供应稳定性和使用安 全性出发构筑稳定、经济、清洁、安全的能源保障体系。     

基于EBA模型的中国碳排放稳健性影响因素研究

依据环境经济学理论,运用极值边界分析（the extreme bounds analysis, EBA）模型,拓展了Kaya恒等式,利用中国30个省际区域2001~2010年的面板数据,实证研究中国省际区域人均碳排放量“稳健性”的影响因素。结果表明,地方财政决算支出、产业结构、能源效率、能源消费结构、能源价格、客运量等6个因素对中国人均碳排放量具有抗干扰的“稳健性”显著影响,并根据实证结论提出了一些政策建议,如调整产业结构,控制高碳产业发展;优化能源消费结构,积极发展新能源和可再生能源;发展循环经济开发清洁技术,提高能源利用效率;提倡低碳生活,提倡低碳生活方式。这些建议为政府制定环境保护与经济发展政策提供经验证据和决策参考。     

Assessment and determinants of per capita household CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions (PHCEs) based on capital city level in China

Household CO₂ emissions were increasing due to rapid economic growth and different household lifestyle. We assessed per capita household CO₂ emissions (PHCEs) based on different household consuming demands (including clothing, food, residence, transportation and service) by using provincial capital city level survey data in China. The results showed that: (1) there was a declining trend moving from eastward to westward as well as moving from northward to southward in the distribution of PHCEs. (2) PHCEs from residence demand were the largest which accounted for 44% of the total. (3) Correlation analysis and spatial analysis (Spatial Lag Model (SLM) and Spatial Error Model (SEM)) were used to evaluate the complex determinants of PHCEs. Per capita income (PI) and household size (HS) were analyzed as the key influencing factors. We concluded that PHCEs would increase by 0.2951% and decrease by 0.5114% for every 1% increase in PI and HS, respectively. According to the results, policy-makers should consider household consuming demand, income disparity and household size on the variations of PHCEs. The urgency was to improve technology and change household consuming lifestyle to reduce PHCEs.     

Multi-scale integrated assessment of urban energy use and CO2 emissions

Accurate and detailed accounting of energy-induced carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions is crucial to the evaluation of pressures on natural resources and the environment, as well as to the assignment of responsibility for emission reductions. However, previous emission inventories were usually production- or consumption-based accounting, and few studies have comprehensively documented the linkages among socio-economic activities and external transaction in urban areas. Therefore, we address this gap in proposing an analytical framework and accounting system with three dimensions of boundaries to comprehensively assess urban energy use and related CO₂ emissions. The analytical framework depicted the input, transformation, transfer and discharge process of the carbon-based (fossil) energy flows through the complex urban ecosystems, and defined the accounting scopes and boundaries on the strength of ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘urban metabolism’. The accounting system highlighted the assessment for the transfer and discharge of socio-economic subsystems with different spatial boundaries. Three kinds methods applied to Beijing City explicitly exhibited the accounting characteristics. Our research firstly suggests that urban carbon-based energy metabolism can be used to analyze the process and structure of urban energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Secondly, three kinds of accounting methods use different benchmarks to estimate urban energy use and CO₂ emissions with their distinct strength and weakness. Thirdly, the empirical analysis in Beijing City demonstrate that the three kinds of methods are complementary and give different insights to discuss urban energy-induced CO₂ emissions reduction. We deduce a conclusion that carbon reductions responsibility can be assigned in the light of production, consumption and shared responsibility based principles. Overall, from perspective of the industrial and energy restructuring and the residential lifestyle changes, our results shed new light on the analysis on the evolutionary mechanism and pattern of urban energy-induced CO₂ emissions with the combination of three kinds of methods. And the spatial structure adjustment and technical progress provides further elements for consideration about the scenarios of change in urban energy use and CO₂ emissions.     

基于超效率SBM模型的中国城市碳排放绩效时空演变格局及预测

由CO₂排放所引起的气候变化是当今社会所关注的热点话题,提高碳排放绩效是碳减排的重要途径。目前关于碳排放绩效的研究多从国家尺度和行业尺度进行探讨,由于能源消耗统计数据有限,缺乏城市尺度的研究。基于遥感模拟反演的1992—2013年中国各城市碳排放数据,采用超效率SBM模型对城市碳排放绩效进行测定,构建马尔可夫和空间马尔可夫概率转移矩阵,首次从城市尺度探讨了中国碳排放绩效的时空动态演变特征,并预测其长期演变的趋势。研究表明,中国城市碳排放绩效均值呈现波动中稳定上升的趋势,但整体仍处于较低的水平,未来城市碳排放绩效仍具有较大的提升空间,节能减排潜力大;全国城市碳排放绩效空间格局呈现“南高北低”特征,城市间碳排放绩效水平的差异性显著;空间马尔科夫概率转移矩阵结果显示,中国城市碳排放绩效类型转移具有稳定性,且存在“俱乐部收敛”现象,地理背景在中国城市碳排放绩效类型转移过程中发挥重要作用;从长期演变的趋势预测来看,中国碳排放绩效未来演变较为乐观,碳排放绩效随时间的推移而逐步提升,碳排放绩效分布呈现向高值集中的趋势。因此未来中国应继续加大节能减排力度以提高城市碳排放绩效,实现国家节能减排目标;同时不同地理背景的邻域城市之间应建立完善的经济合作联动机制,以此提升城市碳排放绩效水平并追求经济增长与节能减排之间协调发展,从而实现低碳城市建设和可持续发展。     

2016-2060年欧美中印CO2排放变化模拟及其与INDCs的比较

研究各国在未来政策实施下温室气体排放量变化,对比其与国家自主贡献预案（INDCs）承诺目标的差别,对促进各国继续提高温室气体减排力度、加强国际合作,实现全球应对气候变化的长期目标有重要意义。基于最新的各国经济和能源数据,构建了化石能源CO₂排放的动态模型,通过设置“延续”和“规划”两类情景,模拟了欧盟、美国、中国、印度2016-2060年的CO₂排放量变化,并与各自的INDCs进行了对比。结果显示：① 中国在全部实现既有政策规划的前提下,将于2030年达到CO₂排放峰值,约11277±643 Mt CO₂,比延续过往发展趋势的情景提前10年达峰,峰值降低接近3000 Mt CO₂;2030年单位GDP碳强度比2005年下降约63.6%,一次能源消耗中非化石能源占比约24.7%,能够实现中国提出的INDC目标。② 在全部实现既有政策规划的前提下,欧盟和美国CO₂排放量有明显下降,印度CO₂排放增速将明显放缓,欧盟和印度基本可以实现INDCs的最低要求,但美国与其最低承诺目标尚有差距。③ 各国INDCs目标均有力度,其中以中国和美国最为突出。但要在INDCs目标基础上,更进一步减缓全球增暖,确保21世纪末气温上升幅度低于2 ℃甚至1.5 ℃,发达国家需进一步推进减排举措、技术、资金等的落实,包括带头推进碳捕获与封存技术,以尽早实现CO₂排放负增长,并对发展中国家提供资金和技术支持。     

Can gains in efficiency offset the resource demands and CO2 emissions from constructing and operating the built environment?

Urbanization is a demographic, economic, and land transformation process. Building construction and operation are integral aspects of urban land use change and contribute to material and energy resources consumption and the resulting carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in urban areas. In this paper, we ask two questions regarding the urbanization process: 1) Do the land, material, and energy use efficiencies associated with the construction and operation of buildings increase over time? 2) Do the gains in resource use efficiencies offset the increases in resource demands due to the magnitude of urbanization? To answer these questions, we use a systematic approach similar to a material flow analysis and apply it to the Pearl River Delta, a rapidly urbanizing region in China. We use a combination of satellite data and official statistics to evaluate changes in urban population density and building density from 1988 to 2008. Both density measures decrease from 1988 to 2003; after 2003, building density increases while population density continues to decline. We also track the indirect impacts of urban land expansion on material and energy demands and associated CO₂ emissions using concrete and heating/cooling as proxies for building construction and operation, respectively. Throughout the study period, structural changes and efficiency gains decrease the demand per unit floor area for both building materials and energy. However, the efficiency gains are outstripped by the magnitude of urban expansion, therefore leading to an increase in the demand for resources and CO₂ emissions per capita. Our results show that focusing only on gains in efficiency for individual buildings without considering the scale of urban expansion results in underestimate of the cumulative energy, material, and greenhouse gas emissions impacts of urbanization. We emphasize the distinction between the rates versus the accumulations of these impacts over spatial and temporal scales. We discuss the relevance of the Environmental Kuznets approaches to tackling environmental impacts that are cumulative in nature and may lead to irreversible changes in the environment. We conclude that tracking the energy, materials, and emissions impacts of urbanization requires a multi-scale approach that ranges from the individual building to the urban region.     

Validity of the Fossil Fuel Production Outlooks in the IPCC Emission Scenarios

Anthropogenic global warming caused by CO₂ emissions is strongly and fundamentally linked to future energy production. The Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) from 2000 contains 40 scenarios for future fossil fuel production and is used by the IPCC to assess future climate change. Previous scenarios were withdrawn after exaggerating one or several trends. This study investigates underlying assumptions on resource availability and future production expectations to determine whether exaggerations can be found in the present set of emission scenarios as well. It is found that the SRES unnecessarily takes an overoptimistic stance and that future production expectations are leaning toward spectacular increases from present output levels. In summary, we can only encourage the IPCC to involve more resource experts and natural science in future emission scenarios. The current set, SRES, is biased toward exaggerated resource availability and unrealistic expectations on future production outputs from fossil fuels.     

Spatiotemporal evolution of urban carbon emission performance in China and prediction of future trends

Climate change resulting from CO_2 emissions has become an important global environmental issue in recent years.Improving carbon emission performance is one way to reduce carbon emissions.Although carbon emission performance has been discussed at the national and industrial levels,city-level studies are lacking due to the limited availability of statistics on energy consumption.In this study,based on city-level remote sensing data on carbon emissions in China from 1992–2013,we used the slacks-based measure of super-efficiency to evaluate urban carbon emission performance.The traditional Markov probability transfer matrix and spatial Markov probability transfer matrix were constructed to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of urban carbon emission performance in China for the first time and predict long-term trends in carbon emission performance.The results show that urban carbon emission performance in China steadily increased during the study period with some fluctuations.However,the overall level of carbon emission performance remains low,indicating great potential for improvements in energy conservation and emission reduction.The spatial pattern of urban carbon emission performance in China can be described as"high in the south and low in the north,"and significant differences in carbon emission performance were found between cities.The spatial Markov probabilistic transfer matrix results indicate that the transfer of carbon emission performance in Chinese cities is stable,resulting in a"club convergence"phenomenon.Furthermore,neighborhood backgrounds play an important role in the transfer between carbon emission performance types.Based on the prediction of long-term trends in carbon emission performance,carbon emission performance is expected to improve gradually over time.Therefore,China should continue to strengthen research and development aimed at improving urban carbon emission performance and achieving the national energy conservation and emission reduction goals.Meanwhile,neighboring cities with different neighborhood backgrounds should pursue cooperative economic strategies that balance economic growth,energy conservation,and emission reductions to realize low-carbon construction and sustainable development.     

Long-term changes in the tree radial growth and intrinsic water-use efficiency of Chuanxi spruce (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea likiangensis var. balfouriana</Emphasis>) in southwestern China

Elevated CO₂ level in the atmosphere is expected to improve the tree growth rates and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE). Although current results inferring from tree rings found the tree growth decline in water-limited area, it is still unclear whether spruce trees in humid southwestern China benefit from the increasing CO₂. In this study, tree-ring width data were used to investigate the tree radial growth rate of Chuanxi spruce (Picea likiangensis var. balfouriana). Moreover, combining with the tree-ring carbon isotope date, we analyzed the physiological responses of Chuanxi spruce to rising CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere (Ca) associated with climatic change in southwestern China. From 1851 to 2009, iWUE of Chuanxi spruce rose by approximately 30.4%, and the ratio of atmospheric CO₂ to leaf intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci/Ca) showed no significant trend in the study area. The result suggested that Chuanxi spruce used an active response strategy when Ca was significantly increased. iWUE showed a significant increasing trend in parallel with tree radial growth, indicating that the increasing iWUE resulted in an increase in radial growth. These results suggest that spruce forests in southwestern China have not shown declining trends under increasing Ca and climate change scenarios, in contrast to trees growing in water-limited areas. Therefore, spruce forests benefit from the increasing CO₂ in the atmosphere in the humid areas of southwestern China.     

黄河下游沿岸地市CO2排放的时空分异

地市级尺度的碳排放结构演变与区域差异分析对通过技术学习与知识流动短期内抑制 碳排放的快速增长具有重要意义。以地市级行政区作为基本空间单元, 对黄河下游沿岸区、 两大子区及21地市化石能源与水泥工业生产过程排放的CO₂ 进行科学核算, 发现CO₂ 排放量 变化于2000年的364.12～4426.95万t至2009年的1238.98～10411.91万t,呈现出典型的 “S型”增长特征, 但不同尺度区域排放结构的时空差异显着。2006年以来, 工业化进程较快 的区域水泥排碳比例有显着增长, 产业结构优化策略促使少数地市水泥排碳比例有所下降。 CO₂ 排放强度与人均排放量的变动符合碳排放EKC曲线关系, 但时空分异特征并不一致。排 放强度的全区总体差异较为合理, 而人均排放量的区域差异偏大, 从而为涓滴效应的加速作 用创造了空间。地区内差异分别为两指标全区总体差异变动的主导因素, 整体上, 中原区内 地市间差异对两指标全区差异变动的贡献更大。