Largest Emitter Of Greenhouse Gases Research Articles

Analysis of the Performance and Influencing Factors of China's Carbon Market in 2022

China's carbon market is pivotal in the global battle against climate change, especially as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The establishment and effective management of this market are critical for advancing global environmental sustainability. Central to this effort is the carbon trade price (CTP), widely recognized as a key indicator of market fluctuations. In 2022, China's carbon market experienced significant turmoil, contrasting sharply with the resilience of the European carbon market, which demonstrated steady demand and price growth. This article reviews existing literature on the factors influencing CTP, identifying crucial elements such as environmental conditions, policy frameworks, market dynamics, and economic indicators that shape China's Emissions Trading System (ETS). A detailed analysis of these factors for the years 2021 and 2022 is provided. Additionally, I propose further factors that may impact the CTP and offer a series of policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and stability of China's carbon market.

Политика Индии в области смягчения последствий изменения климата: трудности и перспективы

India is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, largely due to its high dependence on coal. However, since the early 2000s, New Delhi has introduced various tools to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2022, a new climate plan was adopted that, for the first time, set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070. To achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gases in the energy sector, India is using several market-based schemes, which will become the basis of the Indian emissions trading system in the nearest future. Environmentally friendly transport is actively developing. Insights from research in the field of industrial decarbonization, carbon capture, and storage systems and forest protection and afforestation programmes are being implemented. However, the implementation of the identified areas is fraught with difficulties, leading to the implementation of controversial measures on the part of the state which are economically justified but contrary to the climate strategy. This study examines the main directions of Indian climate policy, and prospects and difficulties in their implementation to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality

Agricultural carbon emissions in China: measurement, spatiotemporal evolution, and influencing factors analysis

IntroductionThe agricultural sector is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for 23% of global anthropogenic carbon emissions. Analysis of the basic state of carbon emissions from China's agriculture is helpful to achieve carbon reduction targets.MethodsAgricultural carbon emissions were calculated using the emission factor method, based on data from the China Rural Statistical Yearbook and various provincial statistical yearbooks. To analyze spatial patterns, the standard deviation ellipse method and the center of gravity migration model were employed, uncovering the migration path of agricultural carbon emissions. Regional disparities and the driving factors of agricultural carbon emissions were further examined using the Theil index and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model.ResultsThe analysis indicated that the emissions center has gradually shifted towards the central and western regions, reflecting changes in agricultural production activity areas. Intraregional differences are the primary contributors to the imbalance in agricultural carbon emissions, with pronounced disparities in grain production and consumption balance regions. Key influencing factors include agricultural production efficiency, adjustments in agricultural industrial structure, economic structure and output, and urbanization levels. The economic output effect and urbanization effect are identified as the main drivers of increased carbon emissions, while declining production efficiency has hindered emission reduction efforts.ConclusionThe findings provide valuable insights for regional management and policymaking in China's agricultural sector, highlighting the need to enhance production efficiency and optimize agricultural structure to reduce emissions.

The impact of digital economy on low-carbon transition: What is the role of human capital?

With the global increasingly higher requirements for sustainability, it is of great importance to understand the relationships between the digital economy, human capital, and energy transition becomes crucial, especially in China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Using data from 30 provinces between 2012 and 2021, this paper explored the influence of digitalization and human capital on China's low-carbon transition by means of advanced econometric techniques, including dynamic panel models and robustness checks. Our findings revealed that the digital economy significantly enhanced energy efficiency, with human capital acting as a key moderating factor. The analysis highlighted that the higher level of digital infrastructure and skilled labor a region has, the more it would benefit from digitalization in terms of energy efficiency. The results underscore the need for region-specific policies that simultaneously promote digital innovation and human capital development to align China's environmental sustainability goals with its economic growth in the digital era.

Provincial equity and enhanced health are key drivers for China's 2060 carbon neutrality

China's ambitious 2060 carbon neutrality target necessitates innovative strategies to address the country's status as the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter. This study employs the Global Change Analysis Model to develop a provincial-differentiated control strategy (EQU scenario) that not only aims to meet the national carbon neutrality goal but also enhances population health and environmental equity. The EQU scenario forecasts substantial reductions in average population weighted PM2.5 and O3 concentrations to 7 μg/m3 and 34 ppb, respectively, by 2060. In comparison to a baseline scenario (NEU), the EQU scenario offers more equitable air quality improvements and significant health benefits, potentially preventing 39 thousand PM2.5-related and 10 thousand O3-related premature deaths, with minimal additional cost. The Gini coefficient, indicating CO2 emission distribution inequality among provinces, is projected to decrease from 0.58 in NEU to 0.37 in EQU. This scenario anticipates about one-third of provinces achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, with a harmonized provincial carbon neutrality capacity. The study highlights the critical importance of integrating provincially differentiated controls within national decarbonization strategies, advancing equitable deep decarbonization and reinforcing environmental justice in China.

Framing Collective Moral Responsibility for Climate Change: A Longitudinal Frame Analysis of Energy Company Climate Reporting

AbstractResponding to climate change and avoiding irreversible climate tipping points requires radical and drastic action by 2030. This urgency raises serious questions for energy companies, one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), in terms of how they frame, and reframe, their response to climate change. Despite the majority of energy companies releasing ambitious statements declaring net zero carbon ambitions, this ‘talk’ has not been matched with sufficient urgency or substantive climate action. To unpack the disconnect between talk and action, this paper draws on the literature on framing, organisational hypocrisy, and collective moral responsibility. We conduct a longitudinal qualitative content analysis of the framing of climate change used by the ten largest European investor-owned energy companies and the actions they have taken to shift their business practices. Our findings reveal three main categories of energy companies: (i) deflecting, (ii) stagnating, and (iii) evolving. We show key differences in the relationship between framing and action over time for each category, revealing how deflecting companies have larger and persistent gaps between green talk and concrete action and how stagnating companies are delaying action despite increased green talk, while evolving companies exhibit a closer link between talk and action that tends to be realised over time. Our analysis reveals how competing approaches to framing collective moral responsibility help understand the trajectories of talk and action across the different categories of energy companies. This research makes several contributions to the literature on organisational hypocrisy and collective moral responsibility in the context of climate change. Our analysis highlights the complex relationship between collective moral responsibility, organisational hypocrisy and climate action, revealing how different collective framings—diffuse, teleological, or agential—can both enable and offset substantive climate action. The study also enriches our understanding of the performative nature of collective moral responsibility by examining its temporal dimensions and showing how an agential, backward-looking focus is associated with more meaningful climate action.

Thermophysical properties and energy efficiency of a sustainable construction materials produced from local natural waste

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is crucial for reducing energy demand and moderating the environmental impact due to its large energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Integrating waste into construction materials can offer sustainable and cost-effective solutions for energy-efficient buildings. This study aims to develop new construction materials (plasterboards) formed by gypsum and natural wastes (5% in mass) including Posidonia-Oceanica, sawdust, sheep's wool, and cork granules to substitute filasse in conventional plasterboards. The main objective of this work is to evaluate and compare the thermal properties of the composite materials manufactured and to determine energy saving, optimal insulation thickness and environmental impact when adding the developed plasterboards in the envelope of an office building in a Mediterranean climate. An experimental study is performed to evaluate the thermo-physical properties and a numerical simulation is conducted using design builder software to discuss the energy efficiency of these materials. Results shows that the incorporation of natural waste reduces the thermal conductivity and can reduce heating and cooling needs compared to conventional plasterboard. Specially, plasterboard made with Posidonia-Oceanica fibers which exhibits a reduction of 32 % in thermal conductivity. It achieves an improvement in energy efficiency of 8 % when it is used in roof ceiling. When used as coating-panels in building walls with a thickness of 24 cm, it achieves about 17 % of energy saving. In addition, this study determines the optimum insulation thickness leading to minimize the sum of the insulation investment and the energy costs over the building's lifetime. Four values of building’s lifespan were chosen (10, 20, 30 and 50 years). Results show that for a 10-year building life, the optimum insulation thickness is 9cm, whereas for a longer building life (50 years), the optimum insulation thickness is 19cm. It saves 15.64kWh/m2 of energy required for heating and 2.09kWh/m2 needed for cooling and reduces of about 8.8tons ofCO2 emitted. The use of natural waste as fillers to prepare plasterboards showed a good effectiveness. It provides important energy saving and reduces CO2 emissions. Creating effective insulating materials using local natural waste, could be a valuable step towards establishing a sustainable development approach.

“We struggle to survive”: Exploring the whole systems energy injustices of solar photovoltaics in India

Solar photovoltaics (PV) are among the cheapest forms of energy globally and one of the most effective options for mitigating the climate crisis in the electricity sector. In 2023, solar PV accounted for roughly 75 % of renewable power capacity additions globally, and capacity is expected to grow 20-fold by 2050. However, the political ecologies of solar power are uneven. Throughout the value chain, there are numerous social and environmental injustices experienced by laborers and in communities that are converted to sacrifice zones for sustainable development. Despite being the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India is developing solar infrastructures at a rapid pace to mitigate the climate crisis. Drawn from a rich collection of original data—household surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and naturalistic observation across various sites—in this study, we investigate perceptions by laborers of the hidden injustices of solar energy at multiple nodes of the solar PV lifecycle or value chain: silica mining (Uttar Pradesh), solar panel manufacturing (Karnataka), solar park development (Rajasthan), solar park operation (Rajasthan), e-waste (Delhi) and recycling (Tamil Nadu). We conclude with novel findings and urgent recommendations for future policy and research on India’s solar PV value chain.

Exploring the spatial spillover effects of climate mitigation policies on the upgrading of industrial structure: Evidence from 31 provinces of China

In the context of the formidable challenge posed by global climate change, achieving high-quality and sustainable economic development has become a topic of widespread concern. Since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, nations worldwide have actively engaged in the fight against climate change. As the largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, China has introduced a series of low-carbon policies to attain its sustainability goals. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2005 to 2019, this paper investigates the spatial spillover effects of the carbon Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) on the industrial structure upgrading and its transmission mechanisms by constructing spatial econometric models and a multiple mediation effect model. The results indicate that ETS exerts a promotional effect on industrial structure upgrading within policy pilot regions. However, in the peripheral areas outside the pilot regions, there exists a negative spillover effect, and the inhibitory effect is stronger than the promotional effect. Moreover, consumer upgrading and technological innovation emerge as two major pathways through which ETS stimulates the upgrading of industrial structures. Results from two sets of heterogeneity tests reveal that the impact of low-carbon policies on industrial structure upgrading is most pronounced in the eastern regions and areas characterized by high pollution.

Climate change exposure, environmental performance, and the cost of capital in the energy sector: Fossil fuel versus renewable energy firms

AbstractAs the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, the energy sector is expected to make significant investments in green transformation to help combat climate change. However, the effect of climate risk on sector firms' cost of capital has been neglected in the literature. This study fills this gap by investigating the impact of climate change and environmental performance on the cost of capital in the energy sector using a large sample of energy firms from 34 countries. Specifically, we comparatively examine the impact of climate risk on weighted average cost of capital, cost of debt, and cost of equity for fossil fuel and renewable energy firms. Moreover, we examine the moderating role of corporate environmental performance on the relationship between climate risk and the cost of capital. Our results suggest that energy firms domiciled in countries with higher exposure to climate change have a significantly higher weighted average cost of capital, cost of equity, and cost of debt than the firms domiciled in countries with lower exposure to climate change. However, this effect is significantly stronger for fossil fuel firms than for renewable energy firms. Importantly, energy firms, both fossil fuel and renewable energy, can mitigate the adverse effect of climate change on their cost of capital by engaging in pro‐environmental policies. These findings suggest that climate risk exposure and the environmental performance of energy firms are important factors to consider when designing policies to accelerate the green transformation of the energy sector.

Actual problems of modeling greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste landfills (Review)

Because Russia is one of the world’'s largest emitters of greenhouse gases. The tasks of mitigating the effects of climate change, which are based on ongoing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are becoming increasingly urgent. Waste, including municipal solid waste (MSW), has long become a problem that poses a threat to the environmental safety of the Russian Federation. Analysis of statistical data shows that the volume of MSW waste is growing from year to year and largely depends on the scale of cities and population. Cities account for more than 70 % of greenhouse gas emissions, and they are the main contributor to the climate crisis. MSW landfills are the third largest anthropogenic source of atmospheric methane. Therefore, it is important to study the formation of methane in the conditions of landfill and its dependence on various factors. This article is devoted to a review and comparative analysis of the functional capabilities of the most well-known calculation methods used to model greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal facilities. A comparative analysis of such techniques made it possible to determine their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the possibility of mutual substitution of parameters. The parameters of the methods are interchangeable and can be specified for each specific MSW landfill. The accuracy of the calculated prediction depends on the completeness of accounting for all factors affecting the process (climatic conditions, morphological composition of waste, type of landfill, the presence of fires, etc.). As a result of the study, it was found that in order to develop a scientifically sound methodology for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal facilities, additional comprehensive studies are necessary. In particular, supplementing the list of wastes considered in the IPCC methodology with other types of waste in accordance with the Federal Waste Classification Catalog, determining the required parameters for these types of waste, as well as clarifying the parameters of the model for the possibility of using it in calculating emissions from a specific waste disposal facility.

Mapping Circular Economy Performance: EU Member States Analysis and Insights

Abstract The concept of the circular economy was created around the desire to extend the life of products and, implicitly, their use in an economy. The waste reduction process is founded on the basis of the three R's - reduce, reuse, recycle, which aims to conserve natural resources. In order to determine the contribution made by the European Union (EU) states regarding the circular economy sector, a descriptive analysis was carried out at the level of the member countries, followed by the identification of their ranking regarding the performances recorded in accordance with the analyzed indicators, a final step being the realization of a cluster analysis through which to determine the similarities and differences between them. Among the results obtained, it was found that the countries in the center of the EU have among the highest values in terms of private investment related to circular economy sectors, but also for resource productivity, although they have among the lowest percentages of people employed in this field, but and among the largest greenhouse gas emissions from production activities.

Large greenhouse gases emissions from lakes in Inner Mongolia, China

Lakes are important component of the regional carbon cycle and a significant sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. However, the regional variations in carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions, as well as the factors regulating these emissions are poorly constrained. To investigate the regional GHG emission from lakes and their potential influencing factors, we conducted field measurements in 13 lakes in Inner Mongolia from July to August 2020. We found that the studied lakes were predominantly sources of atmosphere CO2 and CH4. The CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) exhibited supersaturation in 80 % of samplings, but all samplings of CH4 partial pressure (pCH4) showed supersaturation. Moreover, the average pCH4 is 40 times greater than that in the atmosphere. The lakes emitted substantial amounts CO2 and CH4 with average values of 25.8 ± 4.9 mmol m−2 d−1 and 2.1 ± 0.3 mmol m−2 d−1, respectively. At the regional scale, the dynamics of pCO2 and pCH4 are regulated by combination of various environmental factors. CO2 emissions from studied lakes decreased with the catchment net primary productivity (NPP), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and nighttime lights which is indicative of urbanization. Conversely, CH4 fluxes increased with NPP, NDVI, and nighttime lights. We conclude that terrestrial carbon-cycling related variables and human activities significantly affect CO2 and CH4 emissions from lakes by transporting different nutrients, but they show opposite trends. Our results also exhibited that the freshwater lakes are the main contributors of CH4, while saline lakes are the main contributors of CO2. We suggest that increased human activity leads to changes in terrestrial carbon-cycle related processes which affects lake carbon emissions by altering the amount of nutrients input to the lakes.

Graphene Derived from Municipal Solid Waste.

Landfilling is long the most common method of disposal for municipal solid waste (MSW). However, many countries seek to implement different methods of MSW treatment due to the high global warming potential associated with landfilling. Other methods such as recycling and incineration are either limited to only a fraction of generated MSW or still produce large greenhouse gas emissions, thereby providing an unsustainable disposal method. Here, the production of graphene from treated MSW is reported that including treated wood waste, using flash Joule heating. Results indicated a 71%-83% reduction in global warming potential compared to traditional disposal methods at a net cost of -$282 of MSW, presuming the graphene is sold at just 5% of its current market value to offset the cost of the flash Joule heating process.

Decreasing environmental footprints of dairy production systems through optimization of feed rations and origins

Environmental impacts of livestock production systems are a global concern, because of the large greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses associated with feed production and livestock rearing. These losses are in part related to the system of livestock production and their feed rations and feed origin. This study aims to investigate the economic and environmental impacts of optimizing feed configurations of dairy farms in Inner Mongolia (China), using data from farm surveys, life cycle assessments and linear optimization programming. The findings of our study reveal that feed optimization may lower carbon footprints by 36–44%, nitrogen footprints by 35–42%, and phosphorus footprints by 42–71%, compared to the baseline. The need for cropland decreased by 11–38% per kilogram of milk, feed costs decreased by 15–48%, and net profit increased by 39–129%. Further, we found a statistically significant negative correlation between environmental footprints and feed self-sufficiency of dairy farms. Notably, energy-rich feeds, silage maize, and grass should be grown on-farm. These findings underscore the potential of adjusting feed rations and origin to decrease environmental footprints and enhance net profits of dairy farms. However, we observed several barriers to widespread adoption of optimal feed rations and origin, which relate to land scarcity, high land rental costs, and lack of trust and cooperation with nearby arable farms. Our research provides a scientific foundation for optimizing feed rations and origins for diverse dairy systems to achieve improved environmental and economic performance.

Environmental, social and governance and financial performance nexus in South African listed firms

Background: Environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors have become topical in recent years because of climate change existential threat to humanity. There is, however, a limited understanding of how the firm’s ESG efforts affect firm outcomes.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between firm’s ESG indicators and the financial performance.Setting: The sample is drawn from Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies based on data availability. South Africa is not only plagued by social ills and governance failures, but it is also one of the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, making it an ideal laboratory for studying the ESG and firm performance nexus.Method: We utilized a dataset spanning the years 2012–2022, covering 67 JSE-listed firms. These panel data were analyzed using the two-step system generalised method of moments (GMM).Results: We found that the disaggregated ESG indexes have a positive, albeit insignificant impact on the financial performance. These findings hold even when financial and non-financial firms are examined separately.Conclusion: Policymakers, including standard setters and regulators, should encourage firms to be sincere on ESG efforts and avoid greenwashing.Contribution: The study employs a relatively robust estimation technique (two-step system GMM) over a relatively long period (2012–2012). Furthermore, the sectoral analysis of financial and non-financial firms adds to the body of literature and policy development.

Re‐Unveiling the energy efficiency impact: Paving the way for sustainable growth in ASEAN countries

AbstractThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) heavily relies on fossil fuels to drive economic growth, making it one of the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters. Promoting energy efficiency has been proposed as a solution to mitigate this issue. However, the potential negative impact of energy efficiency on economic growth remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to re‐evaluate the dynamic impact of overall energy efficiency on economic growth in ASEAN countries, considering climate change factors. Unlike prior studies, this research measures overall efficiency based on both persistent and transient components of energy efficiency. This study employs two key techniques: stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to estimate the overall energy efficiency and panel vector autoregression (PVAR) to analyze the dynamic causal effects of determinants' shocks. The findings suggest that enhancing ASEAN's overall energy efficiency could result in an 85.9% reduction in total energy consumption, indicating high levels of inefficiency in the region. While extensive energy efficiency measures might induce a temporary economic contraction in ASEAN countries, the rate of decline seems to abate over the long term. This implies that the impact of the energy efficiency shock will be most prominent during initial growth stages, progressively waning over time. Additionally, this study confirms the presence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for climate change and economic growth.

MOFs for capturing carbon dioxide after combustion

The expanding population and technological advancements are driving the energy demand. The overuse of conventional petroleum fossil fuels has resulted in large emissions of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming and other problems. Controlling carbon dioxide emissions is therefore essential to reducing greenhouse impact. Among the numerous benefits of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are their high porosity and vast interior surface area. They are now the most promising adsorbent materials and have a wide variety of applications in the adsorption and separation of gases, including carbon dioxide. To address the mechanical, chemical, thermal, and water stability of MOFs, this article first provides an overview of their structure and synthesis design techniques. Next, this article addresses the selectivity of MOFs for nitrogen and water as well as the adsorption process of CO2 in MOFs. The techniques for modifying MOFs, such as pore size-controlled MOFs, targeted metal unit modification, and functional group modification to improve adsorption and separation performance, were highlighted last.

Greenhouse Gas Control and Sustainable Economic Development: An Environmental Impacts Analysis

Green House Gases change the climate by trapping heat. Normally, these gasses increase air pollution and affect the respiratory system of humans. The largest emitter of greenhouse gases is the energy sector. The significant sources of Green House Gas include the Transportation Industry (especially Construction & Mining, and agriculture). An example of Green Gas is that agriculture produces methane while burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide. We have pre-determined that the carbon dioxide warming effect helps to stabilize the earth’s atmosphere; life on earth is possible due to the greenhouse effect. Without it, the earth’s surface would be around -19°C instead of the current average of 14°C. The greenhouse effect is produced by greenhouse gasses (GHG) like water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxides (NxO) and ozone (O3). GHG has natural and anthropogenic origins. However, increasing GHG emissions to a large extent will impact climate change, leading to affected production. This study analyzes the negative impact on production, which will slow down business activities and, in turn, impact repayment capability. This results in a higher defaulting ratio. A structural equation model was developed to understand the interrelationship between these exogenous and endogenous variables.

Development of South Africa Macadamia Nuts and its Utilization for Biodiesel Production

Demands for energy are rising as the world's population expands. To meet these demands, fossil fuels have been overused, yet this over reliance on them has led to their depletion. The usage of fossil fuels has also significantly contributed to the release of greenhouse gases, which is a serious environmental concern. Sustainable energy is therefore environmentally friendly and financially sound. Petro-diesel can be replaced by biodiesel because it is biodegradable and less hazardous. Biofuel is any fuel produced from biomass, which can be either animal fats or waste, plant or algae material as a feedstock. Biomass benefits in producing fuels which helps to lessen the demand for petroleum fuel and products. Petroleum fuel and gas increase the greenhouse gas emissions profile of the transportation sector. The Republic of South Africa (RSA) is the 14th world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. This is due to the emissions resulting from burning and heavy reliance on coal. Since biofuel can be produced domestically from natural sources like soybeans, rapeseed, macadamia nuts, coconuts, and even leftover cooking, it has the potential to serve as a remarkable substitute for the commonly used petroleum-derived diesel fuel. This study addresses the historical development of macadamia nuts with a focus on the South African Macadamia Nuts (SAMN) industry, its origin, and as a feedstock for biodiesel production. The generation and classification of biodiesel, physicochemical properties, biodiesel standards, and both American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), European Committee for Standardization (EN 14214), and South African biodiesel framework standards are discussed. Furthermore, the biodiesel blending requirements, techniques, and benefits were outlined. Finally, the biodiesel regulatory framework of SA and biodiesel framework as per the Biodiesel Task team (BTT) was examined.