An integrated economic-ecological index based on satellite-derived carbon sequestration and carbon price: A case study during 2015–2020 in Shaanxi, China

Abstract

Carbon sequestration reflecting vegetation productivity is essential for global carbon cycle and terrestrial ecosystems. Exploring the spatial and temporal variation of carbon sequestration and corresponding ecological values yields insights for policy formulation to mitigate carbon emission and achieve carbon neutrality. Hence, taking Shaanxi China as the case study, we developed an integrated index (named C-GDP) based on vegetation carbon sequestration estimated by the CASA model and carbon prices acquired from carbon trading market in China to explore tradeoffs between economic and ecological development. The spatiotemporal distributions of carbon sequestration and C-GDP were characterized using hotspot analysis and variation coefficient during 2015–2020. The estimated carbon sequestrations were assessed with promising accuracy, depicting high values in the south and low values in the north, with provincial averages of 1761.37gC/m2a. Temporally, carbon sequestrations increased with fluctuation between 2015 and 2020, with significant seasonality. Summertime, especially July, has the highest sequestration, while winter is the season with the lowest values. The C-GDP calculated by carbon sequestration and carbon price exhibited a distinct pattern with sequestration, with the highest C-GDP in Central Shaanxi and the lowest in the south. The multi-year provincial-mean C-GDP is 20.44 billion yuan. The C-GDP exhibited an increase trend with miniscule fluctuation, peaking at 23.66 billion yuan in 2020. The results imply the ecological value of carbon sequestration monetizing by carbon prices is much lower than economical value of production, suggesting that strict carbon policies, such as improving carbon prices or taxes, may be warranted for China because of high carbon mitigation costs.