Optimizing regional CCUS clusterization deployment for multi-industrial sectors: A carbon neutrality pathway for emission-intensive region

Carbon and pollution reduction are highly synergistic elements of green development, and the detailed derivation of the synergistic relationship is urgently needed. Based on the research perspective of coupling coordination, this paper firstly bases on the research perspective of coupling synergy, takes 30 provinces in China as the research object from 2011 to 2022, and constructs a coupling coordination degree model to measure the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction; secondly, kernel density and Dagum coefficient are used to analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics, spatial differences and sources of differences in the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in China as a whole, in the three major regions and in each province; finally, the Moran index is applied to test the spatial agglomeration characteristics of the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and the spatial panel model is applied to test its β-convergence. The study shows that (1) during the study period, the level of synergistic effect on carbon reduction in China changed from good coordination to good coordination, and the synergistic effect in the western region was significantly better than that in the eastern and central regions; (2) the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in China as a whole and the three regions showed obvious spatial differences, but the differences were gradually narrowing, and the supervariable density was the dominant factor of the overall differences; (3) as a whole, the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction among provinces has a spatial agglomeration effect, and the level of synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction across the country and east and west regions has a significant absolute β convergence trend, while there is a significant conditional β convergence trend across the country and the three major regions, and the eastern and central regions with a low synergy level have a higher convergence rate, indicating that as time goes by, under the influence of various factors, the synergistic effect will converge to the steady state level. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the spatial patterns and regional differences in the synergistic effects of pollution reduction and carbon reduction in Chinese provinces and also to provide a quantitative basis for the full implementation of the synergistic regulation of pollution reduction and carbon reduction.

The in-depth implementation of the "Broadband China Strategy" is of great significance in promoting the synergistic governance of urban carbon reduction and pollution reduction. In this paper, based on the "Broadband China" pilot program implemented in China in 2014 as a quasi-natural experiment, the coupled synergy model is used to measure the carbon and pollution reduction synergy index based on the balanced panel data of 277 prefectural-level cities and above in China from 2006 to 2020, and the staggered and synthetic DID methods are applied to investigate the impact of the Broadband China strategy on carbon and pollution reduction synergy and its mechanism. strategy on carbon and pollution reduction synergy and its mechanism. The conclusions of the study show that (1) the Broadband China strategy significantly improves the synergistic governance of carbon reduction and pollution reduction. (2) The mechanism results show that Broadband China mainly realizes carbon and pollution synergistic governance by promoting source control and process innovation but does not have an effective mediating role in end-of-pipe treatment. (3) The results of heterogeneity analysis show that Broadband China weakens the traditional geographic advantage, narrows the carbon pollution synergistic governance gap at the national and regional levels, and significantly improves the regional carbon reduction and pollution reduction governance level. This paper examines the micro-mechanism of the Broadband China strategy on carbon pollution synergistic governance from the whole process of production activities, which provides a new perspective for the study of carbon pollution synergistic governance, and provides an empirical basis for carbon pollution synergistic governance in China.

How to deal with carbon emissions—a rare externality that spans a large time frame and geographical scope—is a difficult task for the world. This task is particularly challenging for China, mainly in that the country must coordinate dual objectives, including existing economic growth targets and the newly added carbon neutrality goal. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, China has been setting economic growth targets and striving to achieve them. In recent years, although growth targets have softened along with the secular decline in potential growth rate, economic growth remains a top priority for China, the world’s largest developing country. We expect China to reach the current standard for a high-income country by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and to double its GDP or per capita income by 2035. Currently, China is adding a new constraint over the next 40 years. As the world’s largest carbon emitter, China has set out a clear timetable for carbon neutrality—to reduce its carbon emission intensity in 2030 by more than 65% from the 2005 level, and reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. We note that it will take 71 and 45 years, respectively, for the EU and the US to achieve the carbon neutrality goal from peak carbon emissions (reached by the EU in 1979 and by the US in 2005) to net zero emissions. China’s aggressive timetable to achieve carbon neutrality within 40 years means that the country will face a much steeper slope of carbon emissions than the EU and the US. How will China strike a balance between the objectives of economic growth in the past 40 years and carbon neutrality in the next 40 years? We discuss this issue from an aggregate and a structural point of view. In our aggregate analysis, the most important task is to identify the peak of China’s carbon emissions in 2030. We believe that in order to take economic growth and emission reduction into consideration, it is more appropriate to set the carbon peak target in a range to avoid rigid constraints. From a structural perspective, we discuss how China can achieve its carbon peak and neutrality goals. Under the framework of a “green premium”, we come up with a preliminary idea of “technology + carbon pricing” based on the analysis of eight high-emission industries. We prove that this idea can strike a balance between the constraints of economic growth and carbon neutrality goals through general equilibrium analysis using the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. Finally, we incorporate social governance into our analysis by discussing the meaning of a negative green premium, and arrive at this formula: the road to carbon neutrality = technology + carbon pricing + social governance.

Global climate change, marked by persistent warming trends, has emerged as one of the foremost challenges confronting human society in the 21st century. Systematically promoting carbon peak and neutrality has become a critical priority for governments in China. As the most active urbanization region in the country, metropolitan areas assume a pivotal leadership and exemplary role in executing carbon peak and neutrality initiatives. Consequently, we focus our research on the Chang-Zhu-Tan Metropolitan Area (CMA). The STIRPAT and CA-Markov models are employed to forecast carbon sinks and carbon emissions under various scenarios in 2030 and 2060, respectively, to explore pathways to carbon neutrality under various conditions. The findings indicate that the carbon surplus and deficit (CSD) values have consistently been negative from 2000 to 2020, signifying a persistent carbon deficit in the region, which has exhibited an upward trend. Notably, the CSD in Yuelu, Ningxiang, and Changsha experienced the most significant increases, particularly in Yuelu, where it reached - 11.22 × 106 t by 2020. Depending on the combinations of scenarios, the CSD values are anticipated to range from - 130.75 × 106 t to - 98.22 × 106 t in 2030, and from - 63.28 × 106 t to - 21.22 × 106 t in 2060. Furthermore, the carbon emissions under different scenarios are projected to reach peaks in 2030, with a maximum of 66.54 × 106 t in 2060. The prediction results of carbon neutrality in the CMA indicate that carbon emission is expected to reach peaks before 2030 across various scenarios. However, carbon emissions will significantly exceed the carbon sink capacity by 2060, and there is still a carbon emission gap of at least 2122.44 × 104 t from achieving carbon neutrality, highlighting the necessity of accelerating emission reduction in the industrial and energy sectors. Consequently, the critical challenge to achieve carbon neutrality lies in the substantial reduction of carbon emissions.

Pathway for China's provincial carbon emission peak: A case study of the Jiangsu Province

Will China achieve its 2060 carbon neutral commitment from the provincial perspective?

Based on the double-carbon target, the agricultural sector has implemented the concept of being green and synergistically promoted pollution and carbon reduction. Positioned as a novel financial paradigm, green finance places greater emphasis on environmental stewardship compared to its traditional counterparts. This focus enhances resource allocation efficiency, thereby achieving the goal of reducing pollution and carbon emissions. To research the influence of green finance on agricultural pollution and carbon reduction, this study leverages panel data spanning 2011 to 2021 from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across China. It employs the fixed-effect model and mediating-effect model. The findings reveal that: (1) Green finance exerts a notable influence on reducing both pollution and carbon emissions in agriculture, with the latter showing a more pronounced effect. (2) Regional disparities exist in green finance, affecting agricultural pollution and carbon reduction. (3) By fostering technological innovation and optimizing industrial frameworks, green finance emerges as a catalyst for curbing surface pollution and carbon dioxide emissions in agriculture. On this basis, relevant suggestions are put forward to provide policy insights for improving the green financial system, which will help further promote carbon and pollution reduction.

The promulgation of the carbon peaking and neutrality policy indicates the importance the state attaches to sustainable energy transformation. The policy will have a significant impact on the future development of the energy industry and will. In order to achieve “zero emission” of carbon dioxide, save energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions and help ecological balance, China is playing a positive role in contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. While advocating for green lifestyles and production, we need to further restructure services for enterprises, promote innovative and sustainable energy development in raw material production, business models, technical functionalities, product design, etc., and expedite sustainable design. The implementation of the “dual-carbon” work guided by the sustainable design concept can not only actively respond to global climate change, but also improve the global green environment, further achieve a win-win global ecology and economy, and restore the best state of the ecosystem as much as possible. From the perspective of the carbon peak and neutrality goal and also with a focus on achieving the carbon peak and carbon neutrality as the main goal to study the development of sustainable energy, in a bid to make sustainable design better serve mankind.

With emphasis on constructing low-carbon cities, the renovation of the riverbank highlights energy conservation and carbon reduction. However, methods and standards for quantifying carbon emissions during ecological river channel construction are currently lacking. There is a scientific gap in research into carbon footprint assessment and reduction potential in ecological revetment technologies in water networks of China. This study attempts to clarify the carbon emission factors of different ecological revetment technologies and explore the carbon reduction potential during the construction stage of ecological rivers from the river revetment design, construction process and materials. The results show that in the carbon emission factors of six ecological revetment technologies, building materials have the largest adjusting potential for carbon reduction. The concrete material is responsible for 55.37–95.86% of carbon emissions in six ecological river technologies, with an average proportion of 69.96%. Accordingly, the concrete material emerges as the primary contributor to carbon emissions in ecological river engineering, followed by gasoline truck transportation and earthwork excavation. Moreover, the carbon emissions from ecological frame structures were the largest, followed by those of block structures, gabion structures, planted concrete and interlocking blocks and the wooden stake structure has the smallest carbon footprint. The choice of ecological revetment technologies is not only related to the realisation of regional water conservancy functions, but it also affects the carbon emissions of water conservancy projects. Engineers and decision-makers should pay great attention to the optimal design of the project, selection of low-carbon materials, energy saving and emission reduction in the construction process. This research not only provides guidance for design units in selecting appropriate river revetment technologies but also offers a theoretical foundation and data support for construction units to optimise their construction process management.

Achieving the goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” is a major energy strategy in China. To accelerate the construction of a new power system with new energy as the main body, and to build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, we must take effective measures to vigorously develop new power energy system. As a clean low-carbon and renewable green energy, photovoltaic power generation has the characteristics of low-carbon and zero-emission. Vigorously developing the photovoltaic industry is of great significance for adjusting the energy structure, promoting energy transformation, and achieving the goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutralization”. By the end of 2021, the global photovoltaic installed capacity has been 170 GW, and brought the cumulative installed capacity to 926 GW. Among them, China’s newly installed capacity was 54.88 GW, accounting for 32.3% of the global increase; the cumulative installed capacity of China was up to 307.88 GW, accounting for 33.2% of the global total. This paper systematically analyzes the current electricity market, solar energy resources, photovoltaic power generation, and the economics of photovoltaic power generation in various regions in China. At the same time, this paper analyzes the main problems existing in the actual construction of photovoltaic projects, such as high land, strong allocation of energy storage, industrial support, limited consumption, and transaction price reduction, and studies its impact on the economics of the project investment. Finally, it is suggested that the development of photovoltaic power generation in China should adhere the four principles of “regional, strategic, integrated, and economical”, systematically realize the high-quality, large-scale, healthy and orderly development of photovoltaic power generation, and support China to achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutralization on schedule.

To better achieve China’s carbon peak and neutrality targets, this paper summarizes global telecom giants’ carbon neutrality objectives and their milestones as of 2021. On top of that, this paper explores aims, visions, priorities, and green and sustainable financial practices for Chinese telecom giants in their journey to reach carbon neutrality. First, green low-carbon standards and evaluation framework should be developed and maintained, telecom giants are recommended to jointly formulate a unified carbon emission standard for the telecom industry. Second, innovative green financing mechanisms should be focused, including carbon trading market, carbon account, and other innovative green financing projects/products. Third, green power trading strategies should be studied, designed and validated. Finally, green, low-carbon and eco-friendly culture should be created.

The low-carbon green transformation and the earlier peak in coal consumption and carbon emissions of the steel industry will make important contributions to the overall carbon peaking goal and high-quality economic development in China. Based on the carbon emission-energy integration model, we conducted a scenario study on the path of coal control and carbon reduction under the "carbon peak and neutralization" target of the steel industry. The results showed that the steel industry is likely to achieve a carbon peak in the early stage of the "14th Five-Year Plan," with a peak value of 1.64-1.67 billion tons (including process and indirect emissions), and coal will also peak together as the main form of energy consumption, with a peak value of 460-470 million tons of standard coal (including coke). In the most aggressive intensification scenario, coal consumption and carbon emissions will drop to 38% and 49%, respectively, in 2035. The yield of crude steel will largely dominate the carbon peaking of the steel industry. Promoting the short process of all-scrap electric furnaces and increasing the utilization of scrap steel are the most important measures to control coal and reduce carbon in the carbon peak stage. The roadmap for coal control and carbon reduction based on the forecasted results showed that, on the demand side, the yield of crude steel will reach its peak and begin to decline, with the level of industrialization and urbanization gradually reaching the level of developed countries, even without considering the constraints of the carbon peak and neutralization target, the growth of steel demand brought about by the construction of new energy-related infrastructure during the period of achieving carbon neutrality is relatively limited. In terms of technological progress, promoting the application of long-process energy-saving and carbon-reducing technology is a cost-effective measure in the short term, and by increasing the average ratio of blast furnace pellets at the same time, the carbon capture and storage technology will have greater carbon emission reduction potential in the long term. In terms of production capacity structure, promoting the short process of all-scrap electric furnaces is the main measure of the steel industry in the carbon peak stage, and the proportion of electric furnace steel will increase to 15%-20% by the end of the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. Under the carbon neutrality target, hydrogen metallurgy is the only production process with ultra-low carbon emission potential. In the future, with the increase in the supply of green hydrogen produced by renewable energy or waste heat, hydrogen metallurgy will become a steel production process that is as important as the short process of electric furnaces based on scrap steel.

In order to realistically fulfil global and national climate protection targets, all potential measures have to be made use of to a maximum extent. Because it is readily available, biomass energy has been playing a key practical role for decades, supported by the traditional assumption of its carbon neutrality: under sustainable conditions, carbon dioxide emitted during combustion is held to be equal to its absorption during plant growth. In order to clarify conditions of carbon (C) neutrality, it is therefore necessary to model the annual natural C cycle on the entire planet and to include changes caused by a variety of growth strategies for biomass fuels. The “Combined Energy and Biosphere Model” CEBM calculates the cycle of plant growth, decay, biomass fuel production and its combustion on 2433 grid elements worldwide. CEBM results suggest that over many decades, the C pools of litter and especially soil organic carbon (i.e., humus layer) deplete considerably as a consequence of the interrupted natural carbon cycle. Overall, based on this finding, the earlier assumption of “carbon-neutral biomass fuels” is disapproved of in a long-term evaluation and—as a coarse rule of thumb—might be reduced to “half as carbon neutral as previously assumed” (when compared to a current fuel mix). On top of this principal effect, it is well known that life-cycle emissions, indirect or secondary emissions such as energy input related to production, transport and conversion into fuels will still add to this already principally highly incomplete carbon neutrality of biomass.

Economy-wide assessment of achieving carbon neutrality in China's power sector: A computable general equilibrium analysis

Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges facing the world. All countries should take joint actions to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, which include controlling global warming to within a 1.5 °C temperature rise, to mitigate the extreme harm caused by climate change. However, ways in which to achieve economically and environmentally sustainable carbon neutrality are yet to be established. Carbon neutrality appears frequently in international policy and the scientific literature, but there is little detailed literature. It is necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of the development context of its research. This paper analyzed the literature on carbon neutrality using bibliometric methods. A total of 1383 research papers were collected from the “Web of Science core database” from 1995 to 2021. Descriptive statistical analysis and keyword co-occurrence and literature co-citation network analyses were utilized to sort the research hotspots, and the detected bursts, the top 30 keywords in terms of word frequency, and 12 clusters were selected. It was found that the existing carbon neutrality research literature mainly focuses on carbon neutrality energy transformation, carbon neutrality technology development, carbon neutrality effect evaluation, and carbon neutrality industry examples. The analysis process involved comprehensively reading the key articles and considering the co-citation, burstiness, centrality, and other indicators under clustering; the carbon neutrality research was then divided into three stages, and evolving themes were observed. Based on the burst detection, this paper holds that with the energy structure transformation, energy consumption assessment and carbon neutrality schemes of various industries, carbon dioxide capture technology, and biogas resource utilization, urban carbon neutrality policy will become a research hotspot in the future. This paper helps to provide a reference for scholars’ theoretical research and has important reference value for policymakers to formulate relevant policy measures. It is helpful for enterprises to make strategic decisions and determine the direction of technology, for R&D and investment, and it is of considerable significance to promote the research of carbon neutrality technology.