A supply chain allocation method for environmental responsibility based on fossil energy as the anchor for carbon responsibility

Abstract

Fossil fuel energy consumption is still dominant, supporting economic development and influencing environmental and climate change, both immediately and over time (e.g., carbon emissions). In this study, the concept of using fossil fuel energy (or fossil energy–based sources) as the anchor for determining carbon responsibility was proposed, which can more directly and adequately quantify and reflect the environmental responsibility of each stage of the energy economic system and further advance research on the extension of responsibility allocation to the front and back ends. Two key parameters, the primary energy consumption responsibility conversion factor and the value-added allocation factor, were introduced to couple both the energy and economic systems around carbon responsibility allocation and to complete the tracking and calculation of primary energy consumption responsibility in the entire energy supply chain. The relevant calculation data were used to map the responsibility using Sankey diagrams. Based on these parameters, we selected the Chinese energy supply system from 2002 to 2020 as a case study, calculated the allocation profile of primary energy consumption responsibility in the energy supply chain, and analyzed the evolution and allocation of primary energy consumption responsibility in the economic/residential sectors, final commodities, and final use categories. The results showed that energy-intensive industries (e.g., smelting and pressing of metals and manufacturing of chemicals) and energy-intensive products (e.g., construction commodities) are still important carrier sectors and commodities of primary energy consumption responsibility in China. Gross fixed capital formation remains the largest expenditure category of primary energy consumption responsibility. However, with the development and transformation of the national economy, the distribution of primary energy consumption responsibilities among the various stages of the energy system had subtly changed.