Growth Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Articles

The Sustainable Organization Design for Transport Services: Guarantees of Origin (GOs) via Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

Abstract This study explores the potential for change that Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can bring to the transportation sector. It seeks to tackle the pressing need for sustainable progress in light of increasing concerns about climate change and growing greenhouse gas emissions. The transportation industry, essential for global supply chains and movement, is confronted with the task of lessening its environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency and dependability. The emergence of ITS presents a hopeful solution by combining information and communication technologies with transport infrastructure and vehicles to streamline logistics, improve safety, and reduce emissions. These systems offer crucial up-to-date information on traffic conditions, vehicle function, and route planning, enabling well-informed decision-making and effective resource management. This study focuses on the creative use of the "Guarantee of Origin" (GO) idea, typically utilized in the renewable energy industry to validate the environmental friendliness of energy sources, in the field of logistics and transportation. The research suggests that expanding the GO framework to include detailed emissions tracking for complete travel plans within an ITS system could greatly improve the sector's environmental responsibility and openness. Generating a clean GO is exclusively feasible within an ITS, particularly for intricate travel itineraries or AWBs. Using a qualitative approach, this study delves into an in-depth review of literature to investigate how the organizational structure of transportation needs to change in order to incorporate sustainability through ITS. The goal is to bridge the gap between ambitions for sustainable transportation and the practical steps necessary for their achievement. A new model for organizational design is proposed, which utilizes ITS and the GO concept. This model envisions a comprehensive travel system that integrates various modes of transport within a government-run cloud platform. It will allow for accurate calculation and distribution of emissions data for each segment and mode of transportation. Ultimately, this research aims to demonstrate that ITS can be considered as projects that reduce emissions upstream (UER), paving the way for new funding opportunities in digital infrastructure development with a focus on sustainability. This study supports the overall objective of reaching carbon neutrality and sustainable growth in the transportation industry, emphasizing the essential function of ITS in aiding this significant shift.

Analyzing long-term dynamics of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Austria, 1830–2018

Agriculture is an important contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While the development of agricultural GHG emissions on national and global scales is well studied for the last three to six decades, little is known about their trajectory and drivers over longer periods. In this article, we address this research gap by calculating and analyzing GHG emissions related to agriculture in Austria from 1830 to 2018. We calculate territorial emissions on an annual basis and include all GHG emissions from the processes directly involved in agricultural production. Based on this time series, we quantify the relative importance of major drivers of changes in GHG emissions across time and agricultural product categories, applying a structural decomposition analysis. We find that agricultural GHG emissions in Austria increased by 69 % over the total study period, from 4.6 Mt. CO2e/yr in 1830 to 7.7 Mt. CO2e/yr in 2018. While emissions increased only moderately from 1830 to 1945 (+22 % overall), with strong fluctuations between 1914 and 1945, they doubled from 1945 to 1985. In the most recent period from 1985 to 2018, emissions fell by one third, with decreases leveling off over time. Our decomposition analysis reveals that increases in agricultural production per capita most importantly contributed to the high growth in GHG emissions from 1945 to 1985. Conversely, decreasing emission intensities of products and a more climate friendly product mix were key drivers in the emissions reduction observed after 1985. We also contribute to the discussion around the global warming potential star (GWP*), by calculating GHG emissions based on this alternative metric, and contextualize our data within total socio-economic GHG emission trends. By providing insights into the historical trends and drivers of agricultural GHG emissions, our findings enhance the understanding of their long-term historical dynamics and adds to the knowledge base for future mitigation efforts.

Structural characteristics and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions at county-level and long-time scales: A case study of the Anji County, China

To achieve carbon neutrality, the Chinese government needs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sources and drivers of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly at the county level. Anji County in eastern China is a typical example of an industrial transformation from quarrying to a low-carbon economy. This study analyzed the decoupling types and structural characteristics of GHG emissions and the driving factors of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Anji from 2006 to 2019, and explored the differences between county-level and provincial-level or city-level results. It was observed that energy-related activities are the main source of GHG emissions in Anji and that economic development is the driving factor behind the increasing CO2 emissions. However, industrial transformation and upgradation coupled with the alternative use of clean energy limit the growth of GHG emissions. This study details the GHG emissions of county during the industrial transformation stage and provides corresponding policy recommendations for county governments.

Economic growth, trade, and greenhouse gas emissions in the european union - investigating pollution leakage

Methods. This research employs econometric modeling and panel data analysis to investigate the intricate relationship between economic growth, environmental policies, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the European Union (EU). Panel data from 27 EU countries during the period from 2008 to 2021 is used to assess the impact of various factors on GHG emissions, including per capita GDP, primary energy consumption, renewable energy share, technological development, and extra-EU trade. Results. The study reveals that there is a positive correlation between GDP per capita and emissions, suggesting that the EU has not yet reached full decoupling of GDP growth and growth in GHG emissions. Increased primary energy consumption is associated with higher emissions, while a greater proportion of renewable energy sources is linked to reduced emissions. Technological advancements are found to mitigate GHG emissions. Importantly, the research uncovers a positive relationship between extra-EU trade and emissions, indicating the pollution leakage through trade. Novelty. This study contributes to the literature by offering a comprehensive examination of the dynamics between economic growth, changes in energy consumption, technological advancement, trade patterns, and GHG emissions within the EU. A more specific international trade variable is introduced into the model – the trade balance of EU countries with the outside EU countries. It explores the concept of pollution leakage, shedding light on how changes in foreign trade may impact emissions levels. Practical Value. The findings have significant policy implications, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to environmental policymaking within the EU. The study emphasizes that while progress has been made in adopting cleaner technologies and supporting renewable energy, challenges remain, including the potential for pollution leakage through international trade. This insight underscores the importance of globally impactful environmental policies and international cooperation to address GHG emissions effectively.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Decommissioning Manmade Structures in the Marine Environment; Current Trends and Implications for the Future

The decommissioning of manmade structures in the marine environment causes large volumes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to be released. Current GHG emissions calculation methods for decommissioning offshore oil and gas industry infrastructure leave large sources of GHG emissions unaccounted for. The results presented here show that these consequential decommissioning GHG emissions are underreported by 50%. Until now, no study has looked at the cumulative impact of decommissioning, but this study shows that globally offshore oil and gas infrastructure decommissioning has produced 25 MtCO2e to date, around 0.5% of annual global GHG emissions. Importantly, this study also shows that due to the growth of the offshore wind industry, increasing numbers of manmade structures will be emplaced in the marine environment, and GHG emissions from decommissioning will increase 200-fold to 5 GtCO2e by 2067. Crucially, this growth of GHG emissions is not compatible with the Paris Agreement, and new decommissioning methods will be required to meet this challenge.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Australian states and territories: Determinants and policy implications

In order to implement effective climate mitigation policies, it is imperative to understand the determinants of GHG emissions. Our research indicates, no state and territory level analysis of Australia, for the determinants of GHG emissions has yet been carried out. This paper identifies the main determinants that affect GHG emissions growth in Australia and assesses their impact in the main Australian states and territories. It performs a rigorous statistical analysis and contrasts the significance of determinants using Feasible Generalised Least Squares (FGLS) Regression and the Linear Panel Data Model with Random effects for the period 1990–2018 for seven states and territories of Australia. We find a mix of GHG determinants in being significant for different states and territories while some show none of the determinants as being significant. Environmental policy analysis is later carried out and then compared with the empirical findings of this study. It is found that it is only in the latter half of the period under observation that some states and territories have instituted encouraging climate change policies while the rest lag behind. Heterogeneous climate mitigation policies, at state and territory level, will have to be implemented to decouple the significance of GHG emissions from its determinants. Also, the ready and comprehensive availability of data for unique variables, such as Savanna burning, will give clearer direction to heterogeneous and customized climate change policy solutions. Lastly, climate mitigation success in TAS (Tasmania), could serve as a leading case study to institute similar renewable energy measures in other states and territories.

Global greenhouse gases emissions effect on extreme events under an uncertain future: A case study in Western Cape, South Africa

The growing effect of CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the extreme climate risks in the Western Cape, South Africa, calls for the need for better climate adaptation and emissions-reduction strategies to protect the region’s long-term social-economic benefits. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of changes in the future extreme events associated with drought and heatwave under three different greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions scenarios: Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5, from moderate to severe, respectively. Various diagnostic indices were used to determine how future heatwaves and drought will respond to each different RCP climate scenario in Western Cape based on Max Planck Institute-Earth System Model/REMO (MPI-ESM/REMO). The projected simulation results revealed that drought and heatwave extreme climate indices suggest strong relationships between future extreme climate risks and GHG emissions for Western Cape, South Africa. Anthropogenic activities and growing GHG emissions will lead to severer extreme climate stress in terms of drought and the duration, frequency, and magnitude of heatwave stresses. As a result, we believe that reducing the GHG emissions to alleviate future extreme climate stress becomes a practical solution to protect the local’s socio-economic system and further maintain the region’s economic prosperity.

China's enhanced urban wastewater treatment increases greenhouse gas emissions and regional inequality

Sustainable water pollution control requires understanding of historical trajectories and spatial characteristics of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), which remains inadequately studied. Here, we establish plant-level monthly operational emissions inventories of China's WWTPs in 2009–2019. We show that urban wastewater treatment has been enhanced with 80% more chemical oxygen demand being removed annually. However, this progress is associated with 180% more GHG emissions at the national level, up to 58.3 Mt CO2 eq in 2019. We found significant seasonality in GHG emissions. Increasing sludge yield and electricity intensity became primary drivers after 2015 because of stricter standards, causing GHG emissions increase 12.9 and 8.3% until 2019. GHG emissions from urban wastewater treatment show high spatial difference at province, city and plant levels, with different sludge disposal and energy mix approaches combined with different influent and effluent conditions in WWTPs across China. Stricter effluent standard resulted in similar GHG emissions growth pattern in cities. We argue WWTPs focus on resource recovery in developed areas and higher operational efficiency in developing areas.

Drivers of electricity GHG emissions and the role of natural gas in mexican energy transition

In the last three decades, the high growth of natural gas as an energy source for Mexican electricity production was the most significant change in the sector. Natural gas went from being the source of 7% of electricity in 1990 to 62.3% in 2020. A co-dependence of electricity and natural gas systems has been established and is increasing. Is this fact consistent with the objective of decarbonizing the electricity sector? We study this question through a decomposition analysis of electricity Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Mexico between 1990 and 2015. We use a Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) to quantify the changes of electricity GHG emissions related to activity, carbon coefficient, structure, and energy intensity effects. Activity effect was the most significant driver of GHG emissions growth, structure and energy intensity effects contributed to limiting that growth, while the carbon coefficient effect had a small contribution to mitigating GHG emissions. From these results, we raise concerns about the role of natural gas, which crowd-out renewable energy and could lead to carbon lock-in and stranded assets in the long term. In addition, Mexico's energy system relies heavily on U.S. natural gas. In light of these concerns, we concluded that an energy policy aiming towards a low-carbon energy system should consider the composition “natural gas + renewable energies + energy efficiency”.

Decoupling of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock industrial development: Evidence from China Agricultural Green Development Modern Zone

China Agricultural Green Development Modern Zone (CAGDMZ) constitute a demonstration area for achieving green and sustainable development of Chinese agriculture. It plays a role in demonstrating high-quality agricultural development and environmental protection. As a result, a coordinated interaction among livestock greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and rapid industrial livestock evolution in the CAGDMZ is of great concern to China’s government. In this paper, we were the first to research the decoupling relationship between livestock GHG emissions and industrial development by using data from 165 CAGDMZ of China from 2010 to 2019 at different regional scales and long time series. On this basis, we further explored the factors affecting livestock GHG emissions by using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index method (LMDI). Our analysis revealed that the amount of GHG emissions from livestock in the CAGDMZ showed a rising and then declining trend. Pigs, nondairy cattle and sheep were the main targets of livestock GHG emission reductions. There were obvious spatial differences in livestock GHG emissions. 17 provinces’CAGDMZ achieved emissions reductions, but 14 provinces’ CAGDMZ increased livestock GHG emissions. The Northeast CAGDMZ had the highest livestock GHG emissions and the Eastern CAGDMZ had the largest livestock GHG deceleration. Furthermore, the decoupling status in the CAGDMZ were unstable. Most provinces or regions of the CAGDMZ maintained the economic growth of livestock while curbing the excessive growth of GHG emissions. Only a few of them achieved a win-win situation of livestock output value increase while GHG emission reduction. Moreover, the comprehensive effect showed an inverted “U” trend. Production efficiency was the most major contributor to livestock GHG emissions reductions. Economic development factor and labor scale factor were the main driving factors for increasing GHG emissions. Industrial structure factor shifted from promotion to suppression of livestock GHG emissions. Therefore, some policies to accomplish the CAGDMZ’s long-term development were proposed.

Zero carbon-emission technology route construction and multifactor analysis of aluminum production in China

China is the largest aluminum producer and consumer in the world. Given the energy intensive nature of processing aluminum, China faces enormous pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The trends of GHG emissions from aluminum production in China from 2021 to 2060 were obtained by building a technologic roadmap and multifactor analysis model containing the factors of energy structure, technology improvement, and product structure under 9 scenarios. Based on the cost estimation model, the cost of technology application was calculated. Meanwhile, the variation in the drivers of energy-related GHG emissions over time for different scenarios was identified by adopting the logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) approach. The results indicated that the GHG emissions of 1 t aluminum production cycle showed a decreasing trend for all 9 scenarios but could not be completely eliminated; hence, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology should be considered for integration into the production system to achieve zero emissions. The application of technologies could bring benefits along with the carbon market development of China and obtain cobenefits from energy savings and other pollution eliminated. Production volume and energy structure were positive factors in the increase in GHG emissions, and emission intensity, energy intensity, and product structure offset the growth in GHG emissions. Finally, proposals were provided for a zero-carbon development path for aluminum production in China.

A comprehensive and synthetic dataset for global, regional, and national greenhouse gas emissions by sector 1970–2018 with an extension to 2019

Abstract. To track progress towards keeping global warming well below 2 ∘C or even 1.5 ∘C, as agreed in the Paris Agreement, comprehensive up-to-date and reliable information on anthropogenic emissions and removals of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is required. Here we compile a new synthetic dataset on anthropogenic GHG emissions for 1970–2018 with a fast-track extension to 2019. Our dataset is global in coverage and includes CO2 emissions, CH4 emissions, N2O emissions, as well as those from fluorinated gases (F-gases: HFCs, PFCs, SF6, NF3) and provides country and sector details. We build this dataset from the version 6 release of the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR v6) and three bookkeeping models for CO2 emissions from land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF). We assess the uncertainties of global greenhouse gases at the 90 % confidence interval (5th–95th percentile range) by combining statistical analysis and comparisons of global emissions inventories and top-down atmospheric measurements with an expert judgement informed by the relevant scientific literature. We identify important data gaps for F-gas emissions. The agreement between our bottom-up inventory estimates and top-down atmospheric-based emissions estimates is relatively close for some F-gas species (∼ 10 % or less), but estimates can differ by an order of magnitude or more for others. Our aggregated F-gas estimate is about 10 % lower than top-down estimates in recent years. However, emissions from excluded F-gas species such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are cumulatively larger than the sum of the reported species. Using global warming potential values with a 100-year time horizon from the Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global GHG emissions in 2018 amounted to 58 ± 6.1 GtCO2 eq. consisting of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion and industry (FFI) 38 ± 3.0 GtCO2, CO2-LULUCF 5.7 ± 4.0 GtCO2, CH4 10 ± 3.1 GtCO2 eq., N2O 2.6 ± 1.6 GtCO2 eq., and F-gases 1.3 ± 0.40 GtCO2 eq. Initial estimates suggest further growth of 1.3 GtCO2 eq. in GHG emissions to reach 59 ± 6.6 GtCO2 eq. by 2019. Our analysis of global trends in anthropogenic GHG emissions over the past 5 decades (1970–2018) highlights a pattern of varied but sustained emissions growth. There is high confidence that global anthropogenic GHG emissions have increased every decade, and emissions growth has been persistent across the different (groups of) gases. There is also high confidence that global anthropogenic GHG emissions levels were higher in 2009–2018 than in any previous decade and that GHG emissions levels grew throughout the most recent decade. While the average annual GHG emissions growth rate slowed between 2009 and 2018 (1.2 % yr−1) compared to 2000–2009 (2.4 % yr−1), the absolute increase in average annual GHG emissions by decade was never larger than between 2000–2009 and 2009–2018. Our analysis further reveals that there are no global sectors that show sustained reductions in GHG emissions. There are a number of countries that have reduced GHG emissions over the past decade, but these reductions are comparatively modest and outgrown by much larger emissions growth in some developing countries such as China, India, and Indonesia. There is a need to further develop independent, robust, and timely emissions estimates across all gases. As such, tracking progress in climate policy requires substantial investments in independent GHG emissions accounting and monitoring as well as in national and international statistical infrastructures. The data associated with this article (Minx et al., 2021) can be found at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5566761.

The implications of climate change for Veterinary Services.

Climate change due to increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the most pressing issues facing society on a global scale. The growth of GHG emissions between 2000 and 2010 was higher than in each of the previous three decades, and each of the past four decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decades since 1850. Continued GHG emissions will cause further warming and changes in the climate system. Climate change affects livestock production in multiple ways, both directly and indirectly. Many of the impacts on the livestock sector result from increasing frequency and magnitude of weather and climate extremes such as droughts, flash floods, untimely rains, frost, hail and severe storms. This article describes some of the most vulnerable disaster communities in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and South America. It then describes the importance of meteorological information provided by national Meteorological and Hydrological Services to help Veterinary Services support sustainable management of livestock in vulnerable pastoral communities.

Climate services' role in safeguarding pastoral disaster communities.

Climate change due to increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the most pressing issues facing society on a global scale. The growth of GHG emissions between 2000 and 2010 was higher than in each of the previous three decades, and each of the past four decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decades since 1850. Continued GHG emissions will cause further warming and changes in the climate system. Climate change affects livestock production in multiple ways, both directly and indirectly. Many of the impacts on the livestock sector result from increasing frequency and magnitude of weather and climate extremes such as droughts, flash floods, untimely rains, frost, hail and severe storms. This article describes some of the most vulnerable disaster communities in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and South America. It then describes the importance of meteorological information provided by national Meteorological and Hydrological Services to help Veterinary Services support sustainable management of livestock in vulnerable pastoral communities.

Projection of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Road Transport Sector Based on Multivariate Regression and the Double Exponential Smoothing Model

The economic and health impacts resulting from the greenhouse effect is a major concern in many countries. The transportation sector is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. Almost 15 percent of the global GHG and over 20 percent of energy-related CO2 emissions are produced by the transportation sector. Quantifying GHG emissions from the road transport sector assists in assessing the existing vehicles’ energy consumptions and in proposing technological interventions for enhancing vehicle efficiency and reducing energy-supply greenhouse gas intensity. This paper aims to develop a model for the projection of GHG emissions from the road transport sector. We consider the Vehicle-Kilometre by Mode (VKM) to Number of Transportation Vehicles (NTV) ratio for the six different modes of transportation. These modes include motorcycles, passenger cars, tractors, single-unit trucks, buses and light trucks data from the North American Transportation Statistics (NATS) online database over a period of 22 years. We use multivariate regression and double exponential approaches to model the projection of GHG emissions. The results indicate that the VKM to NTV ratio for the different transportation modes has a significant effect on GHG emissions, with the coefficient of determination adjusted R2 and R2 values of 89.46% and 91.8%, respectively. This shows that VKM and NTV are the main factors influencing GHG emission growth. The developed model is used to examine various scenarios for introducing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles in the future. If there will be a switch to battery electric vehicles, a 62.2 % reduction in CO2 emissions would occur. The results of this paper will be useful in developing appropriate planning, policies, and strategies to reduce GHG emissions from the road transport sector.

The analysis of electricity production and greenhouse-gas emission reduction from municipal solid waste sector in Oman

Oman has witnessed a steady growth in greenhouse-gas emissions due to the increase in population and generation of municipal solid waste. Therefore, with the growing greenhouse-gas emissions, waste and energy demands, establishing waste-to-energy technologies is becoming an absolute necessity in Oman. The opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas from the waste sector in Oman are not exploited or studied, and therefore, this study proposes a holistic quantification model to analyze future municipal solid waste management options. The quantification model is created through a set of assessment tools, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change models and emissions factors, and inputs to the model are based on the conditions of Oman. Total emissions from the disposal of municipal solid waste in landfills are estimated to increase from 2849 GgCO2eq in 2010 to 5565 GgCO2eq in 2030, whereas implementation of incineration, gasification and anaerobic digestion could reduce a total of 6257, 5489 and 4958 GgCO2eq in 2030, respectively, and could simultaneously generate 2096, 1205 and 136 GWh of electricity, respectively. Therefore, through carbon credits and sale of electricity, incineration could attract a total revenue of US$192 million, higher than gasification (US$139 million) and anaerobic digestion (US$81 million) in 2030. The higher potential of incineration to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions is attributed to its ability of treating higher amounts of waste and generating higher energy than gasification and anaerobic digestion. Therefore, this study concludes that incineration is the most optimum technology for Oman in terms of reducing volume of waste and greenhouse-gas emissions and generating energy and revenue.

Comparing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food away from home versus food at home in the United States

Food consumption patterns continue to shift away from food at home (FAH) to food away from home (FAFH), and the prevalence of FAFH is significant in the developed world, so the comparative greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) of FAH and FAFH are predicted in this study. The GHGE per mass of food acquisition in the U.S. is predicted to be 4.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e)/kg food and 2.7 kg CO2e/kg food for FAFH and FAH, respectively, which is attributed to higher chicken and beef consumption in FAFH. Predictions also suggest that 23% of total food acquisition by mass is by FAFH, with nearly half of the FAFH consumption in the form of beverages. FAFH was predicted to account for 33% of total food GHGE, which is nearly identical to the portion of daily energy intake by FAFH, and both FAFH and FAH meals are estimated to have a nearly constant value of 1.3 g CO2e/kcal. FAFH meals are shown to be, on average, 330% higher in cost, 60% higher in GHGE, and 70% higher in energy content than FAH meals by mass. FAFH meals are also predicted to be higher in GHGE per mass than the 2,000 calorie USDA recommended diet. The larger relative cost compared to relative GHGE suggests that the financial burden of shifting to FAFH mitigates the growth in GHGE attributed to the overall food system.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Growth in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Determinants

Understanding the underlying reasons for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trends in different countries is fundamental for climate change mitigation. This paper identifies the main determinants that affect GHG emissions growth and assesses their impact and differences among countries in Europe. Previous studies have produced inconclusive results and presented several limitations, such as the lack of quality of the data used, the reduced identification of determinants and the use of methods that did not enable hypothesis testing. Conversely, this research identifies an extended list of determinants of GHG emissions, performs an in-depth statistical analysis and contrasts the significance of determinants using panel data and multiple linear regression models for the period 1990–2017 for the main Eurozone countries. The study found that GDP and final energy intensity are the main drivers for the reduction of GHG emissions in Europe. Furthermore, energy prices are not significant and heterogeneous results are found for the renewable energy, fuel mix and carbon intensity determinants, pointing to a different behavior at the country level. The uneven impact of the main determinants of GHG emission growth suggest that a differentiated application of European policies at country level will enhance the efficiency of mitigation efforts in Europe.

Common but Differentiated Strategies

The climate policies of China and India have undergone significant changes over recent years. Initially, both bluntly rejected any international mitigation obligations imposed from the outside and held industrialized countries accountable for deteriorating environmental problems. Later, as mounting scientific evidence of the devastating consequences of climate disasters became indisputable and an increasingly number of small island nations, along with Western countries, ratcheted up pressure on Beijing and New Delhi to take more vigorous climate actions, China and India began to adopt more conciliatory and cooperative attitudes toward global climate actions. At the same time, both nations’ evolving climate diplomacy is also driven by domestic realities, such as their rising economic status and growing greenhouse gas emissions. Bureaucratic establishments in the two countries’ political systems play different roles in their respective climate policy-making processes. While Beijing and New Delhi will continue to highlight their developing nation status and push advanced economies to assume the bulk of mitigation responsibilities, both have turned to more flexible policy positions, with Beijing more ready to set more ambitious targets and take on a more proactive role in global climate talks.

Crop Production Pushes up Greenhouse Gases Emissions in China: Evidence from Carbon Footprint Analysis Based on National Statistics Data

The rapid growth of crop yield in China was maintained by more fossil fuel inputs in the past years, causing concern about the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to crop production. Therefore, this study analyzed historical dynamics of carbon footprint (CF) of 11 major crops in China during 2000–2016 and estimated possible GHG emissions of the system in 2020 under different scenarios. Results indicated that the GHG emissions of the Chinese crop system increased by 20.07% from 2000 to 2016, in which the grain crops contributed to more than 80% of the total emissions. The GHG emissions from grain crops including maize, wheat, and rice as well as sugar crops including sugarcane and sugar beet were increased by 28.07% and 14.27% in the study period, respectively, making up the primary factor of increased GHG emissions of crop system in China. Moreover, if the cropping pattern and agricultural practices is not improved in the future, the GHG emissions from Chinese crop system are estimated to increase by 346.19 million tons in 2020. If advanced agricultural policies and practices are implemented, the GHGs emissions of crop system in China in 2020 are estimated to be 2.92–12.62% lower than that in 2016. Overall, this study illustrated that the crop system in China contributed to the growth of GHG emissions in China over the past decades. Improving utilization efficiency of fertilizers and crop structure in China are the most important ways to reduce GHG emissions from the Chinese crop system.