Carbon Emission Reduction Targets Research Articles

Study on the Initial Allocation of Carbon Emission Rights Applicable to China's National Conditions: from the Perspective of Comprehensive Principles

<p>The scientific and reasonable allocation of initial carbon emission rights is the foundation of establishing and perfecting the carbon trading system, which is directly associated with the completion of carbon emission reduction targets. Guided by the rational distribution of China's carbon emission rights, this paper adopts a multi-index method to investigate the initial distribution of China's carbon emission rights from a regional perspective according to the comprehensive principles of fairness, efficiency, sustainability, and environmental capacity limit. The results show that the use of regional historical carbon emissions or economic factors as a single indicator of carbon emission rights distribution is unreasonable according to historical emissions or GDP, and the results are quite different from the actual demand. Under the overall coordination degree allocation model, it is reasonable for Region 2, Region 3, and Region 4 to undertake higher emission reduction responsibilities, and the emission reduction tasks in these regions are likely to be completed, which shows that the carbon emission rights allocation under the comprehensive principle is more in line with the actual demand and has good operability, robustness, and compatibility. The allocation of carbon emission quota requires the scientific and reasonable formulation of the total national allocation, that all provinces and cities can form a stable quota expectation, effectively design the allocation principle scheme, give consideration to fairness and operability, and do not share the responsibility of regional emission reduction with a one-size-fits-all approach.</p>

Chinese organic rice transition spatial econometrics empirical analysis.

Based on the integrated model of Super-SBM model, spatial Durbin model (SDM) and Grey neural network model, this paper analyzes the panel data of various provinces in China from multiple angles and dimensions. It was found that there were significant differences in eco-efficiency between organic rice production and conventional rice production. The response of organic rice to climate change, the spatial distribution of ecological and economic benefits and the impact on carbon emission were analyzed. The results showed that organic rice planting not only had higher economic benefits, but also showed a rising trend of ecological benefits and a positive feedback effect. This finding highlights the importance of organic rice farming in reducing carbon emissions. Organic rice farming effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide and methane, by improving soil management and reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides. This has important implications for mitigating climate change and promoting soil health and biodiversity. With the acceleration of urbanization, the increase of organic rice planting area shows the trend of organic rice gradually replacing traditional rice cultivation, further highlighting the potential of organic agriculture in emission reduction, environmental protection and sustainable agricultural production. To this end, it is recommended that the Government implement a diversified support strategy to encourage technological innovation, provide guidance and training, and raise public awareness and demand for organic products. At the same time, private sector participation is stimulated to support the development of organic rice cultivation through a public-private partnership model. Through these measures, further promote organic rice cultivation, achieve the dual goals of economic benefits and environmental benefits, and effectively promote the realization of double carbon emission reduction targets.

A novel strategy for urban and rural organic waste utilization with outstanding integrated benefits: based on study in China's Taihu Lake region

Typical organic waste in urban and rural regions (TWUR) is big in volume and poor in resource utilization, and there is currently a lack of integrated evaluation studies on the optimal pattern of TWUR resource utilization. Based on a representative case study of China's circum-Taihu Lake region, this study integrated material flow, life cycle assessment and comprehensive evaluation methods to explore the optimal scenario pattern for TWUR disposal and utilization under multi-scenario settings from multiple perspectives, including cost-benefit-technology-resource depletion. The synergistic coupled aerobic fermentation scenario in Scenario S2, which has a high level of technological maturity and can maximize nutrient recycling while minimizing environmental impacts, is the optimal scenario for using TWUR, according to the results of the entropy weight-TOPSIS integrated evaluation. Following the implementation of Scenario S2, 20% of the chemical fertilizers utilized in the study region will be substituted with organic fertilizers, resulting in a $16.19 billion reduction in organic waste disposal expenses and $228.64 billion in economic benefits. Additionally, China's carbon emissions will drop by 94.316 million tons as a result. This study validates that the optimal configuration pathway to achieve TWUR resource usage is synergistic coupled aerobic fermentation, in contrast to the majority of prior studies. In addition to being a valuable reference for TWUR's resource use transition and future market planning, this environmental technology analysis will help China in achieving its carbon emission reduction targets.

Carbon reduction effects of digital financial inclusion: Evidence from the county-scale in China

All countries in the world are faced with varying degrees of environmental pollution problems and carbon reduction responsibilities. In the case of China, digital transformation emerges as a new growth catalyst for the future economy and a pivotal avenue for optimizing resource allocation, enhancing energy structure, and reducing energy dependence for development. Therefore, this study delves into the carbon reduction effect of digital financial inclusion and explores its pathways. It focuses initially on the counties of the Yangtze River Delta in China, utilizing nighttime light data to estimate carbon emissions and scrutinizing the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of emissions. Empirical results reveal that digital financial inclusion positively influences carbon emission reduction, with notable spatial and temporal variations in the emission reduction effect. Furthermore, the study uncovers that digital financial inclusion contributes to reducing carbon emissions through the optimization of industrial structure and the promotion of technological innovation. These research findings offer a scientific foundation for guiding the government in developing digital finance to attain local carbon emission reduction targets. Concurrently, local governments should leverage the role of digital financial inclusion in optimizing industries and driving technological innovation to propel the low-carbon, sustainable development of China.

Coal consumption and carbon emission reductions in BRICS countries.

The primary energy consumption structure of BRICS countries is dominated by fossil energy, particularly coal. Coal consumption in BRICS countries is a major driver underlying increased carbon emissions. Therefore, this study developed a spatiotemporal decoupling mode and incorporated factors related to coal consumption-induced carbon emissions into a spatiotemporal decoupling analysis method to provide differentiated and targeted policies for energy restructuring and emission reduction targets in BRICS countries. Moreover, a temporal-spatial decomposition logarithmic mean Divisia index model was developed using the spatiotemporal decoupling index method. The model is based on CO2 emissions generated by coal consumption in BRICS countries, with a primary focus on data from Brazil, Russia, South Africa, India, and China. The findings reveal distinct spatiotemporal distributions and driving effects of coal consumption and carbon dioxide emissions across various countries. Factors such as CO2 emission intensity, coal consumption intensity, economic output per capita, and population structure exerted either positive or negative effects on the distributional effect of the carbon emission-economic output per capita association in BRICS countries. Additionally, country-level heterogeneity in the influence of the distributional effects of CO2 emissions was observed within each BRICS country. Thus, different policies are needed to achieve carbon emission reduction targets in different countries.

Decoupling Economic Growth from Carbon Emissions in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China: From the Coordinated Regional Development Perspective

Decoupling economic growth from carbon emissions is crucial for combating the climate crisis and promoting green development. However, a uniform approach to climate mitigation exacerbates regional disharmony. As a microcosm of China’s regional heterogeneity, the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) is helpful in exploring regional collaborative climate governance. This paper uses the Thiel index, the Tapio decoupling model, and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition approach to explore the decoupling of economic growth from carbon emissions in YREB from 2005 to 2019. Results indicate that the carbon intensity difference is mainly from the difference within middle-rising provinces (MRP) and western less-developed provinces (WLP). YREB exhibits strong decoupling overall, but it is not sustained. The economic growth effect significantly promotes carbon emissions, which is more prominent in MRP. The energy intensity effect plays a vital role in restraining carbon emissions. The emission factor effect signals an improved energy structure in WLP. Regional coordination is needed to achieve green development; thus, provinces should set differentiated carbon emission reduction targets, and more potent tools are recommended in major carbon emitters.

Are carbon emissions trading and green financial instruments synergistic? -Comprehensive quantitative research based on content analysis.

Coordinating policies is an essential guarantee for carbon emission reduction and sustainable development. Based on the theoretical framework of the policy paradigm, we quantitatively analyze 266 policy documents on promoting carbon emission trading and green financial policies from 2011 to 2022 using the content analysis research method. Based on the matching network of "policy objectives-policy tools," we analyze the synergistic characteristics of carbon emission trading policies and green financial policies in promoting carbon emission reduction targets and reveal the matching mode of "objectives-tools" of green financial policies by using social network analysis. It is found that, first, from the perspective of policy objectives, the main policy objectives of carbon emissions trading are to promote green innovation of enterprises, and the main policy objectives of green finance are to promote green development, which reflects the consistency and endogenous motivation of policy objectives. Secondly, command-control and market incentive policy tools are the main policy tools in the structure of policy tools. The proportion of public participation policy tools is small, and there is a structural asymmetry. Third, carbon emissions trading tools focus on supervision, adjustment, and platform construction. The green financial policy tools have the characteristics of guidance, public welfare, and externality. The two constitute a complementary, embedded, and integrated ' double synergy ' carbon emission reduction policy. Based on this, this paper puts forward some suggestions to promote policy coordination and provides a reference for China to achieve the dual carbon goal.

Impact of digitization on carbon productivity: an empirical analysis of 136 countries

Enhancing carbon productivity (CP) is key to achieving carbon reduction goals while maintaining economic growth. Digital technology plays a significant role in improving CP. Based on panel data from 136 countries worldwide from 2000 to 2020, this study empirically examines the impact of digitalization on CP and its mechanisms using fixed-effects and mediation models. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Overall, digitalization significantly enhances CP. (2) In terms of the mechanism, digitalization primarily improves CP through technological innovation and mitigating income inequality. (3) In terms of the quantile regression results, as the quantile level of CP increases, the promoting effect of digitalization on CP gradually strengthens. (4) From the perspective of heterogeneity among regions, income levels and human capital levels, digitalization has the greatest promotion effect on carbon productivity in European countries, high-income countries and high human capital countries. This study provides a reference for policymakers worldwide to use digital technology in achieving carbon emission reduction targets.

Generation Expansion Planning for Solvent-Storaged Carbon Capture Power Plants Considering the Internalization of the Carbon Emission Effects

Carbon capture power plants (CCPPs) can effectively eliminate the carbon-locking effect of coal-fired power generation systems, which constitute one of the essential technical pathways to achieve low-carbon transformation of the power structure. Capable of decoupling CO2 absorption and separation in terms of time, CCPPs equipped with solvent storage have stronger operational flexibility while promoting the realization of carbon emission reduction targets. Therefore, this study focuses on the generation expansion planning of power systems containing solvent-storaged carbon capture power plants (SSCCPPs). First, a mathematical model is proposed for SSCCPPs considering new operation characteristics of power generation-carbon capture. Second, the per kilowatt-hour carbon emission coefficient (kWh-CEC) of various power plants is analyzed by life cycle assessment (LCA), and a bilateral stepped carbon trading model is established to quantify power plants' whole life cycle carbon emission effects. Third, a generation expansion planning model considering the internalization of carbon emission effects is developed to explore the benefits of planning SSCCPPs in wind-coal intensive power systems and multi-energy integrated systems. The simulation results on the modified IEEE RTS-96 system and IEEE HRP-38 system have validated the economic and low-carbon performance of planning SSCCPPs in the system.

Carbon emissions prediction based on the GIOWA combination forecasting model: A case study of China

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions is a significant global challenge, and precise prediction of carbon emissions holds the utmost importance for China to attain its dual carbon goal. To overcome the limitations of existing studies using a single forecasting method, based on quadratic exponential smoothing, multiple linear regression, and Gaussian process regression models, this paper constructs a carbon emission combination forecasting model with the generalized induced ordered weighted average (GIOWA) operator and analyzes carbon emission reduction performance. Empirical testing utilizing China's carbon emission data from 1980 to 2020 reveals the following findings: (1) The GIOWA combination forecasting model significantly enhances the accuracy of carbon emission forecasts, with an average accuracy exceeding 99.5% over the sample period, surpassing various single forecasting methods. (2) The carbon emission reduction target can be achieved under three different scenarios of low, average, and high GDP growth rates. Specifically, under the low growth rate scenario, China can achieve a 60% reduction in carbon intensity by 2025 and a 65% reduction by 2030. This study offers valuable decision support for the development of effective carbon reduction policies.

Exploration of Carbon Emission Statistics and Management in the Supply Chain of Automobile Industry based on Blockchain Technology

This paper discusses the carbon emission statistics and management of the supply chain in the automobile industry based on Blockchain technology. It first analyzes the importance and challenges of carbon emission statistics in the supply chain of the automotive industry. Then, it introduces the basic principles and characteristics of Blockchain technology and describes its potential application in supply chain management. Then, a solution for carbon emission statistics and management in the supply chain of the automotive industry based on Blockchain technology is proposed, including the establishment of a Blockchain-based carbon emission data sharing platform, the realization of data transmission and verification in each link of the supply chain, and the establishment of a smart contract to achieve the carbon emission reduction target. Finally, the possible challenges and future development direction of the solution are discussed.

Impact of e-governments on carbon emission reduction targets: evidence from global 51 countries

Impact of e-governments on carbon emission reduction targets: evidence from global 51 countries

Environmental-economic sustainability of hydrogen and ammonia fuels for short sea shipping operations

Alternative fuels of low or zero carbon content can decarbonise the shipping operations. This study aims at assessing the lifetime environmental-economic sustainability of ammonia and hydrogen, as alternatives to diesel fuel for short sea shipping cargo vessels. A model is employed to calculate key performance indicators representing the lifetime financial sustainability and environmental footprint of the case ship using a realistic operating profile and considering several scenarios with different diesel substitution rates. Scenarios meeting the carbon emissions reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for 2030 are identified, whereas policy measures for their implementation including the emissions taxation are discussed. The derived results demonstrate that the future implementation of carbon emissions taxation in the ranges of 136–965 €/t for hydrogen and 356–2647 €/t for ammonia can support these fuels financial sustainability in shipping. This study provides insights for adopting zero-carbon fuels, and as such impacts the de-risking of shipping decarbonisation.

Identification of clean energy development routes under carbon emission constraints: A path towards structural adjustment of the power system

Clarifying the clean energy (CE) development path is significant for realizing energy system transformation, coping with climate risks, and ensuring energy and ecological security. This paper uses national data from China from 1978 to 2021 as a sample. It considers the year-by-year dynamic indicators of changes in technology, population, industry, and economic factors in the short term. It takes the mandatory carbon emission reduction targets set by the country as the basis for carbon constraints. The Markov chain model was introduced to construct a power demand structure prediction model under scenarios to more accurately quantify the energy-saving and emission-reduction paths under different carbon constraints and economic development scenarios. The results show that China's electricity demand will rapidly grow in the short term. The upper limit constraint of thermal power generation under the high and normal economic growth models still has room to grow in the short term under the target carbon emission constraint scenario. During 2025–2030, the overall lower limit growth rate of the CE power generation structure under the target emission reduction scenario must exceed 8%, and the overall growth rate under the high-efficiency emission reduction scenario must exceed 12%. By 2030, the proportion of hydropower in CE generation is estimated to decrease to 33.7%, while nuclear power, wind power, and photovoltaic power generation will increase to 16.3%, 30.5% and 19.5%, respectively. These results provide a reference for the government to formulate a CE development path against the background of carbon constraints.

Multi-criteria decision-making for techno-economic and environmentally sustainable decentralized hybrid power and green hydrogen cogeneration system

For global sustainable development, supplying reliable, clean and affordable energy to all is critical. Also to achieve the stringent carbon emission reduction target, the global energy transition is towards increasing the renewable share of total power generation. As renewable resources are intermittent, widely variable and nature dependent, a decentralized hybrid energy system may be the potential solution to address these issues. However, mismatch between energy demand and generation of such systems is a critical problem that needs to be addressed. Excess power generated than local instantaneous demand must be utilized in a sustainable way. Production of hydrogen can address the above issues as it has large capacity and long term power absorption capability. Currently it is considered as a valuable energy carrier. This work proposes to convert the excess electricity of a distributed system to a value added by-product, i.e., ‘green’ hydrogen. This study presented an integrated methodology to evaluate the overall sustainability, i.e., techno-economic and environmental performances of this combined electricity and hydrogen production system. These sustainability assessments do not converge to a single optimal solution. Therefore, a multi-criteria decision making approach is adopted to decide the acceptable sustainable solution. This integrated methodology concludes that the solar-wind-diesel-battery-electrolyser combination is the acceptable optimal solution. It meets the required load and produces hydrogen as a by-product at least cost with optimal environmental impact (cost of electricity-$ 0.252/kWh, cost of hydrogen-$ 2.59/kg, renewable share- 98.4%, payback period- 6.1 yrs, human health- 76476.7 DALY, ecosystem 54.17 species.yr and resource-61521013 USD 2013).

Reconciling Development and Decarbonization: An Examination of China's Policy Options for Curbing Emissions While Sustaining Supply Chains

China faces the challenge of balancing economic growth while meeting carbon emission reduction targets. This essay analyzes current Chinese government policies aimed at reducing emissions, including supply-side reforms, renewable energy subsidies, and awareness campaigns. It argues these policies have limitations, such as only temporary emissions reductions from supply cuts, high costs of subsidies, and lack of infrastructure to support consumer adoption of electric vehicles. To improve outcomes, the essay recommends implementing a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system, choosing the optimal policy based on demand elasticities. It also suggests subsidizing a transition from coal to electricity for heating in rural areas. In conclusion, modifying existing policies and implementing new market-based and technological solutions can help China achieve its twin goals of reducing emissions while maintaining economic growth. The essay provides a thoughtful analysis of the issues and policy trade-offs China faces in balancing environmental sustainability and development.

The Potential Contribution of Modular Volumetric Timber Buildings to Circular Construction: A State-of-the-Art Review Based on Literature and 60 Case Studies

When facing the increasing demands of the housing market and balancing the requirements of sustainable development in the construction sector, building design methods should practise material conservation and adopt carbon reduction measures to alleviate the current environmental burden through the implementation of a circular economy approach. Volumetric modular timber design is recognised as a practical application to test the feasibility of a waste-reduced approach. Driven by the aim of further improving volumetric modular timber construction and increasing its use in a circular economy framework, this paper presents a case study review of 60 modular timber building projects constructed using volumetric modules. The dimensions, the architectural and structural design, and the manufacturing and assembly processes of the three-dimensional modular units were assessed to explore their potential for contributing to a circular built environment. The results show that the similarly sized modular volumetric timber units have the potential to serve different functions, and to be reused in subsequent projects. The stacking design allows modular volumetric units to be reused in a way that supports function conversion and satisfies project coordination criteria. The case studies illustrate that modular timber buildings are increasingly used for flexible design solutions, and to meet carbon emission reduction targets. The analysis results can address prevalent misconceptions regarding modular wood construction, provide interested parties with a better understanding, and promote the use of modular volumetric timber units in general.

The achievement of carbon emission reduction targets for three typical tourism industries: A coordinated analysis based on efficiency and potential

The cultural, leisure, and natural tourism industries are selected, which are the greatest tourism carbon emitters and have significantly different carbon sources and sinks. We analyzed the realization mechanism of tourism emission reduction, classified their emission reduction capability coordinated efficiency and potential, and analyze their preferential implementation strategies. Our results show that: (1) The direction of tourism emission reduction includes increasing the value-added potential of desired and undesired outputs and improving the technologies in tourism energy-saving and emission-reduction. (2) The average emission reduction potentials are 51.31%, 59.99%, and 42.01% for the cultural, leisure, and natural tourism industries, respectively, and the average net carbon efficiencies are 0.578, 0.650, and 0.602, respectively. (3) For the cultural tourism, the strategy of reducing the tourism output inefficiency (S-ROIE) is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and high-potential; the strategy of reducing the carbon emission inefficiency (S-REIE) is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and low-potential; the S-ROIE is optimal for regions with low-efficiency and low-potential; the strategy of technology progress in energy-saving (S-ESTP) is optimal for provinces with low-efficiency and high-potential. (4) For the leisure tourism, the S-ESTP is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and high-potential; the S-REIE is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and low-potential; the S-ROIE is optimal for provinces with low-efficiency and low-potential; the strategy of technology progress in emission reduction (S-ERTP) is optimal for provinces with low-efficiency and high-potential. (5) For the natural tourism, the S-REIE is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and high-potential; the S-ROIE is optimal for provinces with high-efficiency and low-potential; the S-ERTP is optimal for provinces with low-efficiency and low-potential; the S-REIE is optimal for provinces with low-efficiency and high-potential

Transition to a new kind of energy: carbon emission capture using nanotechnology

At a time when the consequences of carbon emissions are becoming increasingly apparent, the world is looking for alternative energy sources to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change. One of the most promising frontiers in the search for sustainable energy is hydrogen. Often regarded as the “fuel of the future”, hydrogen is an important solution to both our energy needs and curbing carbon emissions. As we stand at the crossroads of environmental sustainability, this article begins a journey into the world of hydrogen energy. This article examines the transition to new generation energy sources and the potential of this transition to reduce carbon emissions. We explore the wonders of hydrogen as a clean and versatile energy carrier, and methods of carbon capture. In addition, this article will highlight efforts to control carbon emissions and discuss how innovative approaches such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies can be used. This can play an important role in achieving carbon emission reduction targets. In conclusion, this article will help you understand why this significant change in the energy sector is needed, how it is happening, and why it is so important for controlling carbon emissions. It serves as an introduction to our journey to reduce carbon emissions and open the door to a cleaner, more sustainable and greener energy system in the future.

Environmental-Economic Analysis for Decarbonising Ferries Fleets

Several countries heavily depend on their domestic ferries, the decarbonisation of which are required following the prevailing and forthcoming international and national carbon reduction targets. This study aims to conduct an environmental-economic analysis to identify the impact of three decarbonisation measures, specifically, hybridisation, liquified natural gas (LNG) and methanol use, for two ferries of different size of a developing country fleet. The study is based on several methodological steps including the selection of key performance indicators (KPIs), the pre-processing of acquired data to identify representative operating profiles, the environmental and economic KPIs calculation, as well as the comparative appraisal of the investigated measures. The required investments for decarbonising the whole domestic fleet of a case country are subsequently estimated and discussed. All the three investigated measures have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions, however, not beyond the IMO 2030 carbon emissions reduction target. This study provides insights to the involved stakeholders for supporting their decisions pertinent to the domestic ferries sector decarbonisation.