Calculation and Intensity Analysis of Logistics Industry Embodied CO2 Emissions in China

Abstract

China’s logistics industry has been flourishing in recent years, with the high carbon emissions caused thereby receiving widespread attention. In this paper, the emissions and intensity of embodied carbon in the logistics industry in China are calculated for 2012, 2015 and 2017, using the multiregional input-output model and the changing trend. Additionally, influences of the intensity of embodied carbon emissions in the logistics industry across 30 provinces of China are assessed using the structural decomposition analysis method. The results show that from 2012 to 2017, the emissions of embodied carbon in the logistics industry from 30 provinces increased, while the intensity of embodied carbon emissions mainly decreased. The changes in the embodied carbon emissions intensity of the logistics industry are mainly affected by the direct carbon emission coefficient and added value coefficient. The intermediate input structure technology and the total scale of the final demand play a slight role in promoting the intensity of the embodied carbon emissions in the logistics industry. The direct carbon emission coefficient plays a major role in restraining provinces with negative intensity of embodied carbon emissions and promoting provinces with positive embodied carbon emissions intensity. The added value coefficient plays a major role in promoting the intensity of embodied carbon emissions. Finally, based on the analysis results, this paper presents suggestions for reducing the embodied carbon emissions in the logistics industry in 30 Chinese provinces, which include adjusting measures to local conditions, increasing the proportion of clean energy and clean technology in the logistics industry, increasing investment in green technology research and development, and improving the green technology innovation. Currently, researches on the implicit carbon emissions of the logistics industry focus mainly on the national, regional, and inter-provincial levels, with relatively few studies on the implicit carbon emissions of the logistics industry in each province. However, understanding the differences in the implicit carbon emissions of the logistics industry in each province and their influencing factors is crucial for identifying key emission reduction factors and developing carbon-neutral and carbon-reduction policies at the provincial level, which is the contribution that this paper makes.