Sector CO2 Emissions Research Articles

Accounting for carbon emissions associated with tourism-related consumption

This article explores the issues of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from the production of the goods and services provided to supply tourism consumption. First, we define the scope of tourism activities and the resulting tourism consumption and tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA). Second, we calculate CO2 emissions for sectors and compile a carbon input-output table (CIOT). Third, we adjust the tourism-related products consumed according to the range of the corresponding sectors of the CIOT. Finally, we use Shanghai as an example to calculate the carbon emissions that result from tourism consumption using the input-output model. This study shows that the TDGVA accounted for 7.97% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2012, whereas the carbon footprint of tourism accounted for 20.45% of total carbon emissions. The results demonstrate that tourism is not a low-carbon industry in Shanghai.

The key sectors for energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction in China: Evidence from the input-output method

Abstract This research defines the key sectors driving China's energy consumption and CO2 emissions from the input-output relationship and demand elasticity. This method allows us to analyze the correlation of energy consumption and CO2 emissions with economic activities of various sectors, and reveal which sectors deserve more attention as Chinese Government shapes appropriate policies for energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction. The results indicate that the key sectors in China's economic system not only drive energy consumption and CO2 emissions of other sectors, but also consume substantial fossil energy and emit tremendous CO2 stimulated by the demand from other sectors. Therefore, they should be paid close attention by Chinese government, especially the sectors of Manufacture of Basic Chemicals, Construction of Buildings, Wholesale and Retail Trade, Transport via Road, and Real Estate. In addition, the case study shows that China's road transportation experiences extensive developing mode and effective measures should be taken to help achieve its low-carbon development due to its dominant role in the whole transportation sector.

Social cost of carbon pricing of power sector CO2: accounting for leakage and other social implications from subnational policies

In environments where climate policy has partial coverage or unequal participation, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions or economic activity may shift to locations and sectors where emissions are unregulated. This is referred to as leakage. Leakage can offset or augment emissions reductions associated with a policy, which has important environmental and economic implications. Although leakage has been studied at national levels, analysis of leakage for subnational policies is limited. This is despite greater market integration and many existing state and regional environmental regulations in the US. This study explores leakage potential, net emissions changes, and other social implications in the US energy system with regionally differentiated pricing of power sector CO2 emissions. We undertake an economic analysis using EPRI’s US-REGEN model, where power sector CO2 emissions are priced in individual US regions with a range of social cost of carbon (SCC) values. SCC estimates are being considered by policy-makers for valuing potential societal damages from CO2 emissions. In this study, we evaluate the emissions implications within the SCC pricing region, within the power sector outside the SCC region, and outside the power sector (i.e. in the rest of the energy system). Results indicate that CO2 leakage is possible within and outside the electric sector, ranging from negative 70% to over 80% in our scenarios, with primarily positive leakage outcomes. Typically ignored in policy analysis, leakage would affect CO2 reduction benefits. We also observe other potential societal effects within and across regions, such as higher electricity prices, changes in power sector investments, and overall consumption losses. Efforts to reduce leakage, such as constraining power imports into the SCC pricing region likely reduce leakage, but could also result in lower net emissions reductions, as well as larger price increases. Thus, it is important to look beyond leakage and consider a broader set of environmental and economic metrics. Leakage rates, net emissions outcomes, electricity price changes, fuel market effects, and macroeconomic costs vary by region of the country, time, policy stringency, policy design (e.g. leakage mitigation provisions), policy environment in neighboring regions, and price responsiveness of demand.

Socio-Demographic Drivers of Residential Co2 Emissions in the 47 Prefectures of Japan

This study examined which socio-economic drivers contributed to energy-related CO2 emissions in Japanese households in all 47 prefectures since 1990. We adopted the logarithmic mean Divisia index technique to decompose the prefectural trends in CO2 emissions during the period 1990-2013 into six drivers: change in the number of households (household effect), distribution of households (distribution effect), household size (size effect), per-capita household energy consumption (consumption effect), household energy choice (choice effect), and sectoral CO2 emission intensity (technology effect). The results showed that, in contrast to the size effect, the household effect and the distribution effect both had positive and significant effects on CO2 emissions, indicating that these recent demographic trends were responsible for the increase in CO2 emissions observed in most of the prefectures during the period. Regarding the consumption effect and the choice effect, i.e., changes in CO2 emissions due to changes in lifestyle and technology, only ten and seven prefectures reduced their CO2 emissions in 2013, respectively. Thus, in order to further reduce CO2 emissions through these key drivers among prefectures, it is considered necessary to prioritize the transfer of new household energy technologies, upgrade household appliances, and encourage people to limit energy consumption.

Climate impacts on hydropower and consequences for global electricity supply investment needs

Abstract Climate change is projected to increase hydropower generation in some parts of the world and decrease it in others. Here we explore the possible consequences of these impacts for the electricity supply sector at the global scale. Regional hydropower projections are developed by forcing a coupled global hydrological and dam model with downscaled, bias-corrected climate realizations. Consequent impacts on power sector composition and associated emissions and investment costs are explored using the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM). We find that climate-driven changes in hydropower generation may shift power demands onto and away from carbon intensive technologies. This causes significantly altered power sector CO2 emissions in several hydro-dependent regions, although the net global impact is modest. For drying regions, we estimate a global, cumulative investment need of approximately one trillion dollars (±$500 billion) this century to make up for deteriorated hydropower generation caused by climate change. Total investments avoided are of a similar magnitude across regions projected to experience increased precipitation. Investment risks and opportunities are concentrated in hydro-dependent countries for which significant climate change is expected. Various countries throughout the Balkans, Latin America and Southern Africa are most vulnerable, whilst Norway, Canada, and Bhutan emerge as clear beneficiaries.

A study on mitigation potential in service building sector: Efficient technology implications of China’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution

In 2015 China submitted its “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution” (INDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in preparation for the Conference of Parties 21. China’s INDC called for several low carbon actions toward 2030, and one of the important actions by 2030 in the China’s INDC is to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per unit of GDP by 60% to 65% from the 2005 level. In this study, we concentrate in service sector and estimates CO2 emission from six sub-sectors: office building, retail and store, hotel and restaurant, education, health care and others. Considering the gap of tertiary industry development and climate diversity across regions, we base our study on regional analysis and the study subject includes 31 provincial regions of mainland China. We first use a bottom-up cost optimization model called AIM/Enduse to evaluate the CO2 reduction potential brought about by efficient technologies in China’s service buildings. Then we design mitigation scenarios to examine the achievability of China’s INDC as well as the efforts of service sector in achieving the CO2 reduction target stated in China’s INDC. The results show that the service sector has a certain potential to succeed a no-regrets CO2 reduction target by 2030. For achieving China’s INDC target, all six sub-sectors need implement more efficient technologies. Reduction rates vary across provinces due to climatic variations and different development statuses of tertiary industry.

Key sectors in carbon footprint responsibility at the city level: a case study of Beijing

PurposeThis paper aims to identify key sectors in carbon footprint responsibility, an introduced concept depicting CO2 responsibilities allocated through the supply chain containing sectoral activities and interactions. In detail, various key sectors could be identified according to comparative advantages in trade, sectoral linkage and sectoral synergy within the supply chain.Design/methodology/approachA semi-closed input–output model is used to make the household income–expenditure relationship endogenous through the supply chain where sectoral CO2 emissions are calculated, and the production-based responsibility (PR) principle is evaluated. Thus, according to “carbon footprint responsibility”, modified hypothetical extraction method is applied to decompose sectoral CO2 in terms of comparative advantages in trade, sectoral linkage and synergy. Finally, key sectors are identified via sectoral shares and associated decompositions in carbon footprint responsibility.FindingsCompared to 2005, in 2012, the PR principle failed to track sectoral CO2 flow, and embodied CO2 in import and interprovincial export increased, with manufacturing contributing the most; manufacturing should take more carbon responsibilities in the internal linkage, and tertiary sectors in the net forward and backward linkage, with sectors enjoying low carbonization in the mixed linkage; inward net CO2 flows of manufacturing and service sectors were more complicated than their outward ones in terms of involved sectors and economic drivers; and residential effects on CO2 emissions of traditional sectors increased, urban effects remained larger than rural ones and manufacturing and tertiary sectors received the largest residential effects.Originality/valueThe value of this paper is as follows: the household income–expenditure relationship got endogenous in intermediate supply and demand, corresponding to the rapid urbanization in megacities; key sectors were observed to change flexibly according to real sectoral activities and interaction; and the evaluation of the PR principle was completed ahead of using a certain CO2 accounting principle at the city level.

What Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is Expected to? Describing Potential Future of a CO2 Mitigation Technological System in the Seine Waterway Axis

The «Seine Waterway Axis » is located along the Seine river from Le Havre to Paris. A high density of manufacturing and heavy industry chararcterizes the area's economic activities. Regarding ecological transition objectives both reducing industry sector CO2 emissions and maintaining local employment are two majors challenges for local stakeholders of this spatial area. In 2010, the Seine Waterway Axis’ energy production's sector gathers 32% of the French total emissions of this sector. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) appears to be a relevant technology in such a context. In 2007/2008 the idea of using CCS grew in some of the Seine Waterway Axis’ stakeholders mind. But since, only few industrial scale's projects came to reality. How consider the future of this technology in this spatial area? How carbon capture and storage could contribute to mitigate CO2 emissions in the Seine Waterway Axis? In this paper we will answer these question in analysing both spatial dynamics of this territories and expectations linkec with CCS by various stakeholders of the Seine Waterway Axis.

Decomposing industrial CO2 emissions of Southern European countries into production- and consumption-based driving factors

Industry is a leading economic sector in European countries as well as a major carbon emitter. European industry has been quite successful in abating the environmental pressures and carbon emissions and increasing its energy efficiency from production over the last years. However, focusing only on the production-side may not lead to the desired sustainable development since there are other forces, such as the international trade and consumption patterns, which also shape the evolution of industrial CO2 emissions. The aim of this study is to investigate how changes in production and consumption of industrial products affect the CO2 emissions of industries in four Southern European countries, during the period 2000–2011. To this purpose, a new model of Index Decomposition Analysis is developed in order to decompose the change in CO2 emissions of the industrial sectors of Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Moreover, the examined period in this study is split into two sub-periods, 2000–2008 and 2008–2011, in order to investigate the impact of the recent economic crisis on both the driving factors and industrial CO2 emissions. The overall evolution of industrial CO2 emissions was quite similar in all the countries and the decomposition results of the two sub-periods revealed substantial homogeneity across countries. Two production-based driving factors, the economic activity and the energy intensity, were the main driving factors which shaped the total change in CO2 emissions of industries in the examined countries. The consumption-based driving factors contributed mostly to the increase in industrial CO2 emissions but not at the same level as the production-based ones. Furthermore, industrial production was more significantly affected by the economic crisis than consumers’ expenditures. The decomposition results performed at a sectoral level revealed that it was difficult for Southern European consumers to switch to a more environmentally conscious use of industrial products and their consumption preferences were not significantly affected by the consequences of the economic crisis.

Sector value addition, technology and CO2 emissions in Saudi Arabia

This study assesses the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis with the case study of Saudi Arabia by considering three channels: volume of production, sector value addition to GDP and technological innovation. Using a long time-series data set and applying autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) methodology, this study nullifies the existence of the EKC hypothesis in the case of Saudi Arabia. The study also provides robust evidence that economic growth fosters CO2 emissions linearly. The results also present that the value addition of growth in the industrial and service sectors is responsible for faster growth in CO2 emissions, while agriculture value addition is negatively and insignificantly associated with emissions. Finally, this study shows that technological innovation is insignificant in helping to reduce CO2 emissions. Thus, substantial technological progress in the production process would reduce CO2 emissions without harming economic growth.

Decomposing inequality in energy-related CO2 emissions by source and source increment: The roles of production and residential consumption

Using provincial data on energy-related CO2 emissions in China from 1997 to 2014 and the CO2 emission Gini coefficient (CEG), this study evaluates China's spatial inequality in energy-related CO2 emissions. Further, we decompose this inequality and its variation from the perspectives of production and residential energy consumption, using the source decomposition and source increment decomposition methods. This paper presents a new CEG source increment decomposition method that can achieve complete decomposition. The results reveal a downward trend in China's overall, production sector and residential sector CO2 emissions inequality. Although the Gini coefficient of CO2 emissions from the residential sector is larger than that from the production sector, the contribution of the latter to the overall CEG is higher. The impacts of the spatial inequality of CO2 emissions from China's production and residential sectors depend on the type of energy. The concentration effect is the primary factor responsible for inducing changes in China’s overall and production sector CO2 emissions inequality, but it is not the only dominant factor for the residential sector CO2 emissions inequality.

Sectoral output, energy use, and CO2 emission in middle-income countries

Middle-income countries are currently undergoing massive structural changes towards more industrialized economies. In this paper, we carefully examine the impact of these transformations on the environmental quality of middle-income countries. Specifically, we examine the role of sector value addition to GDP on CO2 emission nexus for middle-income economies controlling for the effects of population growth, energy use, and trade openness. Using recently developed panel methods that consider cross-sectional dependence and allow for heterogeneous slope coefficients, we show that energy use and growth of industrial and service sectors positively explain CO2 emissions in middle-income economies. We also find that population growth is insignificantly associated with CO2 emission. Hence, our paper provides a solid ground for developing a sustainable and pro-growth policy for middle-income countries.

Is the CO2 emissions reduction from scale change, structural change or technology change? Evidence from non-metallic sector of 11 major economies in 1995–2009

The contribution of non-metallic sector to global CO2 emissions is increasing. However, there are very few studies on non-metallic sector CO2 emissions from international comparative perspective. This paper proposes an integrated model employing LMDI (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index) decomposition technique and TOPSIS (the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method to contribute to the existing literature by filling the gap that the drivers of aggregate and national level non-metallic sector CO2 emissions and its impacts on CO2 emissions reduction have not been estimated by relevant models. First, we analyze drivers of non-metallic sector CO2 emissions in BRIC countries and G7 countries using LMDI decomposition method. Second, we evaluate the low-carbon development of non-metallic sector in the 11 major economies from a comprehensive viewpoint of main drivers using TOPSIS assessment model. Finally, based on the results of the model, this paper presents some implications for the non-metallic sector CO2 emissions reduction and low-carbon development.

A multi-criteria model analysis framework for assessing integrated water-energy system transformation pathways

Sustainable development objectives surrounding water and energy are interdependent, and yet the associated performance metrics are often distinct. Regional planners tasked with designing future supply systems therefore require multi-criteria analysis methods and tools to determine a suitable combination of technologies and scale of investments. Previous research focused on optimizing system development strategy with respect to a single design objective, leading to potentially negative outcomes for other important sustainability metrics. This paper addresses this limitation, and presents a flexible multi-criteria model analysis framework that is applicable to long-term energy and water supply planning at national or regional scales in an interactive setup with decision-makers. The framework incorporates a linear systems-engineering model of the coupled supply technologies and inter-provincial transmission networks. The multi-criteria analysis approach enables the specification of diverse decision-making preferences for disparate criteria, and leads to quantitative understanding of trade-offs between the resulting criteria values of the corresponding Pareto-optimal solutions. A case study of the water-stressed nation of Saudi Arabia explores preferences combining aspiration and reservation levels in terms of cost, water sustainability and electricity sector CO2 emissions. The analysis reveals a suite of trade-off solutions, in which potential integrated water-energy system configurations remain relatively ambitious from both an economic and environmental perspective. The results highlight the importance of identifying suitable tradeoffs between water and energy sustainability objectives during the formulation of coupled transformation strategies.

Financial development and sectoral CO2 emissions in Malaysia.

The paper examines the impacts of financial development on sectoral carbon emissions (CO2) for environmental quality in Malaysia. Since the financial sector is considered as one of the sectors that will contribute to Malaysian economy to become a developed country by 2020, we utilize a cointegration method to investigate how financial development affects sectoral CO2 emissions. The long-run results reveal that financial development increases CO2 emissions from the transportation and oil and gas sector and reduces CO2 emissions from manufacturing and construction sectors. However, the elasticity of financial development is not significant in explaining CO2 emissions from the agricultural sector. The results for short-run elasticities were also consistent with the long-run results. We conclude that generally, financial development increases CO2 emissions and reduces environmental quality in Malaysia.

Bottom-up analysis of energy efficiency improvement and CO2 emission reduction potentials in the Swiss cement industry

The cement industry is among the top three industrial energy consumers in Switzerland with a share of 9% of the total final energy demand by Swiss industry in 2014. It is also a major contributor to the Swiss greenhouse gas emissions, releasing approximately 2.7 Mt of CO2 in 2014 (including both fossil and mineral CO2). This study investigates the energy efficiency improvement and CO2 abatement potential in the Swiss cement industry by means of energy efficiency cost curves. The energy savings potential for this sector is estimated based on the data collected from literature and via interviews with the experts. The current economic potential for final energy savings and CO2 abatement is estimated at 14% and 13% of the sector's final energy use and CO2 emissions in 2014 respectively and the total investment costs are approximately CHF ∼120 million (approx. USD 115 million). This study also highlights techno-economic barriers that are limiting implementation of the best practices in Swiss cement plants. Due to the relatively low current final energy and CO2 prices, the cost savings of the cost-effective measures are found to be low to very low. While the sensitivity to higher fuel prices (+50%) is limited, a CO2 tax of 84 CHF/t CO2 (approx. 80 USD/t CO2) would make carbon capture and storage economically viable and allow to drastically reduce CO2 emissions. The results of this study offer a better understanding of the energy efficiency gap in the sector and can serve as basis for formulating more effective policies.

CO2 emission trends for the US and electric power sector

A shift in generation mix from coal to natural gas and renewables has yielded a dramatic decline in U.S. and power sector CO2 emissions. Since 2005, the U.S. has reduced CO2 emissions over 700 million metric tons, an amount unmatched in U.S. or any other country’s history. Power sector emissions alone have fallen over 20%, nearly 500 MMT since 2005. EIA’s outlook shows these trends likely to continue. Since 2005, the U.S. has reduced CO2 emissions over 700 million metric tons, an amount unmatched in U.S. or any other country’s history. Power sector emissions alone have fallen over 20%, nearly 500MMT since 2005. This paper examines the drivers behind the decline in U.S. and power sector CO2 emissions. Shifting generation mixes are largely responsible, with less coal and more natural gas and renewables. EIA’s outlook shows these trends to continue.

What would dense atmospheric observation networks bring to the quantification of city CO<sub>2</sub> emissions?

Abstract. Cities currently covering only a very small portion ( < 3 %) of the world's land surface directly release to the atmosphere about 44 % of global energy-related CO2, but they are associated with 71–76 % of CO2 emissions from global final energy use. Although many cities have set voluntary climate plans, their CO2 emissions are not evaluated by the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) procedures that play a key role for market- or policy-based mitigation actions. Here we analyze the potential of a monitoring tool that could support the development of such procedures at the city scale. It is based on an atmospheric inversion method that exploits inventory data and continuous atmospheric CO2 concentration measurements from a network of stations within and around cities to estimate city CO2 emissions. This monitoring tool is configured for the quantification of the total and sectoral CO2 emissions in the Paris metropolitan area (∼ 12 million inhabitants and 11.4 TgC emitted in 2010) during the month of January 2011. Its performances are evaluated in terms of uncertainty reduction based on observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). They are analyzed as a function of the number of sampling sites (measuring at 25 m a.g.l.) and as a function of the network design. The instruments presently used to measure CO2 concentrations at research stations are expensive (typically ∼ EUR 50 k per sensor), which has limited the few current pilot city networks to around 10 sites. Larger theoretical networks are studied here to assess the potential benefit of hypothetical operational lower-cost sensors. The setup of our inversion system is based on a number of diagnostics and assumptions from previous city-scale inversion experiences with real data. We find that, given our assumptions underlying the configuration of the OSSEs, with 10 stations only the uncertainty for the total city CO2 emission during 1 month is significantly reduced by the inversion by ∼ 42 %. It can be further reduced by extending the network, e.g., from 10 to 70 stations, which is promising for MRV applications in the Paris metropolitan area. With 70 stations, the uncertainties in the inverted emissions are reduced significantly over those obtained using 10 stations: by 32 % for commercial and residential buildings, by 33 % for road transport, by 18 % for the production of energy by power plants, and by 31 % for total emissions. These results indicate that such a high number of stations would be likely required for the monitoring of sectoral emissions in Paris using this observation–model framework. They demonstrate some high potential that atmospheric inversions can contribute to the monitoring and/or the verification of city CO2 emissions (baseline) and CO2 emission reductions (commitments) and the advantage that could be brought by the current developments of lower-cost medium precision (LCMP) sensors.

Driving forces analysis of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Beijing: an input–output structural decomposition analysis

Low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the foundation on which to realize the sustainable development of a green China. Recently in Beijing, the capital of China, serious environmental pollution-climate anomaly, severe haze and human sub-health have been accorded more importance. This study examines the energy-related CO2 emissions generated by Beijing industries from 2000 to 2010 by using an input–output analysis method. The direct, indirect and total CO2 emissions of sectors in Beijing were calculated. In addition, structural decomposition analysis (SDA) was conducted to evaluate the driving factors from the perspective of technology, sectoral connection, economic structure and economic scale. The results show that the growth rate of sectoral CO2 emissions in Beijing has drastically increased during this time with a moderate decline during 2007–2010. The metal and non-metal mining industries, the electric power, gas and water supply sector and the construction industry caused the most CO2 emissions. The economic structure change and the rapid economic growth led to the significant increase in CO2 emissions growth in Beijing. Thus, optimizing the economic structure and improving the technology are important to alleviate CO2 emissions. Although we can currently appropriately utilize fossil fuels, further research on new energy and clean development, as well as enhanced government management strength is required to reduce CO2 emissions.

More natural gas use, higher efficiency trigger U.S. CO2 decline

Energy-related U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide fell 12% from 2005 to 2015, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Nearly 70% of these reductions were driven by electricity-generating plants shifting from coal to natural gas, which releases about half as much CO2 as coal when burned. The rest of the decline was a result of energy efficiency in homes, industry, and transportation; growing use of renewable energy; and milder weather, says EIA’s Paul Holtberg. Overall, energy-related activities were responsible for more than 80% of U.S. CO2 emissions. The drop in energy sector CO2 emissions came despite a 15% growth in the U.S. economy over the same period, EIA reports. In fact, U.S. CO2 emissions fell by 23% per unit of gross domestic product, says Holtberg, who credits transportation and home appliance efficiency as well as a general shift to less energy-intensive industrial production. Holtberg predicts, however, that energy-related CO2 emissions