Compilation of an Embodied CO2 Emission Inventory for China Using 135-Sector Input-Output Tables

Qian Zhang,Yuichi Moriguchi,Jun Nakatani

doi:10.3390/su7078223

Abstract

A high-quality carbon dioxide (CO2) inventory is the cornerstone of climate change mitigation. Most of the previously reported embodied CO2 inventories in China have no more than 42 sectors, and this limitation may introduce apparent inaccuracy into the analysis at the sector level. To improve the quality of input-output (IO)-based CO2 inventories for China, we propose a practical energy allocation approach to link the energy statistics to the 135-sector IO tables for China and compiled a detailed embodied CO2 intensity and inventory for 2007 using a single-region IO model. Interpretation of embodied CO2 intensities by fuel category, direct requirement, and total requirement in the sectors were conducted to identify, from different perspectives, the significant contributors. The total embodied CO2 emissions in 2007 was estimated to be 7.1 Gt and was separated into the industrial sector and final demand sector. Although the total CO2 estimations by the 42-sector and 135-sector analyses are equivalent, the allocations in certain groups of sectors differ significantly. Our compilation methodologies address indirect environmental impacts from industrial sectors, including the public utility and tertiary sectors. This method of interpretation could be utilized for better communication with stakeholders.

Highlights

Mitigation of climate change requires a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHG) including carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
Proper allocation of embodied CO2 emissions in industrial sectors to reveal hidden impacts through the supply chain can be compared to process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) or utilized in hybrid IO analysis [5,6]
To compile the inventory of embodied CO2 emissions in China, we adopted energy statistics for 2007 from the energy balance sheet and table of final energy consumption in industrial sectors that are found in the China Energy Statistical Yearbook (CESY) [17]

Summary

Introduction

Mitigation of climate change requires a comprehensive understanding of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHG) including carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Embodied CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts from the total requirements of any production can be estimated by a single-region IO model or multi-region IO models [2,3,4]. Proper allocation of embodied CO2 emissions in industrial sectors to reveal hidden impacts through the supply chain can be compared to process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) or utilized in hybrid IO analysis [5,6]. China’s economy has shown rapid but disproportionate growth. More sophisticated tools such as structural decomposition analysis or multiregional IO models were adopted in the analysis of temporal variations, spatial differences, and inter-regional carbon spillover within China [11,12,13]. China releases input-output tables (IOTs) every five years, but the sector classification in the IOTs is not stable across the years [12]

Methods

Results

Conclusion