Articles

Synergy between Virtual Local Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases Emissions Embodied in China’s International Trade

Expand
  • 1. Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
    2. School of Environmental and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China;
    3. Department of Social Sciences, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
    4. National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, Beijing 100872, China

Received date: 2017-03-29

  Revised date: 2017-09-16

  Online published: 2017-11-30

Supported by

Research fund project of Renmin University of China (17XNA014)

Abstract

Increasing pressure from the international community to reduce carbon emissions, coupled with the need to reduce domestic air pollutants, is forcing China to deal with both sources of emissions. Air pollutants and greenhouse gases are closely linked via their common source, fossil fuels. As a result of globalization, large portions of these emissions are associated with trade. This study uses data from the World Input-Output Database (WIOD), including 27 EU countries and 13 major countries, covering the period from 2000 to 2009, and applies MRIO (Multiregional input-output) to estimate emissions embodied in China’s international trade. We focus on the synergy between LAPs (local air pollutants) and GHG consumption-based emissions, and the relationship between virtual LAPs and virtual GHGs associated with China’s international trade from 2000 to 2009. The results indicate that a strong synergistic relationship exists and that air pollutant control can serve as an endogenous mechanism to mitigating greenhouse gases. Thanks to domestic actions to control air pollutants, every ton reduction of LAP emissions related to export can save 27.1 tons of GHG emissions in 2005 over emissions efficiency levels, and can save 32.4 tons of GHG emissions in 2009 over 2005. Mitigation actions taken to reduce air pollutants could also reduce GHG emissions.

Cite this article

CHEN Yiying, LEE Harry. F., WANG Ke, PEI Qing, ZOU Ji . Synergy between Virtual Local Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases Emissions Embodied in China’s International Trade[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2017 , 8(6) : 571 -583 . DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2017.06.003

References

1 Andre? S, Laurent S., 2016. Life cycle energy and cost analysis of embodied, operational and user-transport energy reduction measures for residential buildings. Applied Energy , 161(1): 445-464.
2 Bin S, Robert C H., 2006. The role of CO 2 embodiment in US-China trade. Energy Policy , 34(18): 4063-4068.
3 Bin S, Ang B M, 2014. Input-output analysis of CO 2 emissions embodied in trade: A multi-region model for China. Applied Energy, 114: 377- 384.
4 Blanca G, Manfred L, 2005. A Consistent Input - Output Formulation of Shared Producer and Consumer Responsibility. Economic Systems Research , 17(4): 365-391.
5 Chao Z, Beck M B, Jining C, 2013. Gauging the impact of global trade on China’s local environmental burden. Journal of Cleaner Production , 54(1): 270-281.
6 Lamnatou C, Baig H, Chemisana D et al., 2015. Life cycle energy analysis and embodied carbon of a linear dielectric-based concentrating photovoltaic appropriate for building-integrated applications. Energy and Buildings , 107(15): 366-375.
7 Christopher L. Weber G P, Dabo G et al., 2008. The contribution of Chinese exports to climate change. Energy Policy , 36(9), 3572-3577.
8 Christopher L W, H.Scott M, 2007. Embodied Environmental Emissions in U.S. International Trade, 1997-2004. Environ. Sci. Technol , 41(14): 4875-4881.
9 Erik D, Los B, Stehrer R et al., 2013. The Construction of World Input-Output Tables in the WIOD Project. Economic Systems Research , 25(1): 71-98.
10 Edgar G H, Glen P P, 2009. Carbon Footprint of Nations: A Global, Trade-Linked Analysis. Environ. Sci. Technol , 43(16): 6414-6420.
11 Glen P, Christian S, 2010. Global carbon footprints: Methods and import/export corrected results from the Nordic countries in global carbon footprint studies. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen.
12 Glen P P, 2008. From production-based to consumption-based national emission inventories. Ecological Economics , 65(1): 13-23.
13 Guan D, Glen P P, Weber C L et al., 2009. Journey to world top emitter: An analysis of the driving forces of China’s recent CO 2 emissions surge. Geophysical research letter , 36.
14 Zhao H Y, Zhang Q, Guan D B et al., 2015. Assessment of China’s virtual air pollution transport embodied in trade by using a consumption-based emission inventory. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 15(10): 5443-5456.
15 Hao T, Aijun S., Henry L, 2013. CO 2 embodiment in China-Australia trade: The drivers and implications. Energy Policy , 61: 1212-1220.
16 Hongguang L, Weidong L, Xiaomei F et al., 2015. Carbon emissions embodied in demand-supply chains in China. Energy Economics , 50: 294- 305.
17 Huijuan D, Hancheng D., Liang D et al., 2015. Pursuing air pollutant co-benefits of CO 2 mitigation in China: A provincial leveled analysis. Applied Energy , 144(15): 165-174.
18 IPCC, 2013. Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press , Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
19 Xing J, Wang S X, Chatani S et al., 2011. Projections of air pollutant emissions and its impacts on regional air quality in China in 2020. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 11(7): 3119-3136.
20 Jiashuo L, Chen G Q, Lai T M et al., 2013. Embodied greenhouse gas emission by Macao. Energy Policy , 59: 819-833.
21 Jan C M, Giovanni B, Glen P P et al., 2011. A “Carbonizing Dragon”: China’s Fast Growing CO 2 Emissions Revisited. Environ. Sci. Technol. 45(21): 9144-9153.
22 Hu J, Ying Q, Wang Y et al., 2015. Characterizing multi-pollutant air pollution in China: Comparison of three air quality indices. Environment International, 84: 17-25.
23 Jintai L, Da.P, Steven J et al., 2014. China’s international trade and air pollution in the United States. PNAS , 111(5): 1736-1741.
24 João R, Alexandra M, Tiago D, 2010. Carbon responsibility and embodied emissions : theory and measurement Routledge, New York.
25 Kua H W, 2015. Integrated policies to promote sustainable use of steel slag for construction—A consequential life cycle embodied energy and greenhouse gas emission perspective. Energy and Buildings , 101: 133- 143.
26 Lei L, Xiaoming M, 2011. CO 2 embodied in China's foreign trade 2007 with discussion for global climate policy. Procedia Environmental Sciences , 5: 105-113.
27 Junling L, Ke W, Ji W, 2015. The Net Flow of Carbon Emissions Embodied in Trade of China. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 6(3): 146-154.
28 Mark D A, Scott E A, Thomas D C et al., 2013. Non-separable pollution control: Implications for a CO 2 emissions cap and trade system. Resource and Energy Economics , 36(1): 64-82.
29 Ming X, Braden A, Weiqiang C, 2009. Energy and Air Emissions Embodied in China-U.S. Trade: Eastbound Assessment Using Adjusted Bilateral Trade Data. Environ. Sci. Technol. 43(9): 3378-3384.
30 Ming X, Ran L, John C C et al., 2011. CO 2 emissions embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008: A structural decomposition analysis. Energy Policy , 39(11): 7381-7388.
31 NBSC, 2015. China Trade and External Economic Statistical Yearbook. China Statistics Press , China.(in Chinese)
32 Pablo M, Karl W S, 2010. Austria's CO 2 responsibility and the carbon content of its international trade. Ecological Economics , 69(10): 2003- 2019.
33 Glen P P, Robbie A, James L, 2011. Constructing an environmentally- extended multi-Regional input-output table using the GTAP database. Economic Systems Research , 23(2): 131-152.
34 Qi Y, Li H, Xu M, 2008. Accounting embodied carbon in import and export in China. China Population, Resources and Environment , 3: 8-13.
35 Qiaoling L, Qi W, 2015. Reexamine SO 2 emissions embodied in China's exports using multiregional input-output analysis. Ecological Economics , 113: 39-50.
36 Robbie M A, Glen P P, 2013. A multi-region input-output table based on the global trade analysis project database (GTAP-MRIO). Economic Systems Research , 25(1): 99-121.
37 Rui W, Yong G, Huijuan D et al., 2016. Changes of CO 2 emissions embodied in China-Japan trade: drivers and implications. Journal of Cleaner Production , 112(5): 4151-4158.
38 Sato M, 2014. Product level embodied carbon flows in bilateral trade. Ecological Economics , 105: 106-117.
39 Shaohui Z, Ernst W, Wina C G, 2015. Evaluating co-benefits of energy efficiency and air pollution abatement in China’s cement industry. Applied Energy , 147(1): 192-213.
40 Subak S, 1995. Methane embodied in the international trade of commodities: Implications for global emissions. Global Environmental Change, 5(5): 433-446.
41 Thomas W, Manfred L, Karen T et al., 2007. Examining the global environmental impact of regional consumption activities — Part 2: Review of input-output models for the assessment of environmental impacts embodied in trade. Ecological Economics , 61(1): 15-26.
42 Thong J W, Ho C S, Noor Z Z, 2015. Assessment of embodied energy and global warming potential of building construction using life cycle analysis approach: Case studies of residential buildings in Iskandar Malaysia. Energy and Buildings , 93(15): 295-302.
43 Tianyu Q, Niven W, Valerie J K et al., 2014. Will economic restructuring in China reduce trade-embodied CO 2 emissions? Energy Economics , 42: 204-212.
44 Timmer M, Erumban A, Gouma R et al., 2012. The world input-output database (WIOD): contents, sources and methods. Institue for International and Development Economics.
45 Timmer M P, Dietzenbacher E, Los B et al. , 2015. An Illustrated User Guide to the World Input-Output Database: the Case of Global Automotive Production. Review of International Economics , 23(3): 575-605.
46 Wan M S W O, Jeung-Hwan D, Kriengsak P et al., 2014. Assessment of the embodied carbon in precast concrete wall panels using a hybrid life cycle assessment approach in Malaysia. Sustainable Cities and Society , 10: 101-111.
47 Wang, T., Jim W, 2008. China's carbon emissions and international trade: implications for post-2012 policy. Climate policy , 8(6): 577-587.
48 Weber C L, 2008. Uncertainties in constructing environmental multiregional input-output models, International input-output meeting on managing the environment.(conference paper) Seville, http://www.upo.es/ econ/IIOMME08
49 Wei L, 2014. Benefit distribution in global imbalance and trade adjustment from China. Social Sciences Acadamic Press. (in Chinese)
50 Wenju W, Qi X, 2012. Accounting and Responsibility Allocation on Carbon Emissions Embodied in International Trade. China Economist, 7: 50-59. (in Chinese)
51 Wiedmann T, 2009. A review of recent multi-region input-output models used for consumption-based emission and resource accounting. Ecological Economics , 69(2): 211-222.
52 Mao X Q, Zeng A, Hub T et al., 2014. Co-control of local air pollutants and CO 2 from the Chinese coal-fired power industry. Journal of Cleaner Production , 67(15): 220-227.
53 Xianbing L, Can W, 2009. Quantitative analysis of CO 2 embodiment in international trade: an overview of emerging literatures. Forntiers of Environmental Science and Enginnering in China , 3(1): 12-19.
54 Xianbing L, Masanobu I, Can W et al., 2010. Analyses of CO 2 emissions embodied in Japan-China trade. Energy Policy , 38(3): 1510-1518.
55 Xianqiang M, An Z, Tao H et al., 2013. Co-control of Local Air Pollutants and CO 2 in the Chinese Iron and Steel Industry. Environ. Sci. Technol , 47(21): 12002-12010.
56 Xuemei J, Yifang L, Jin Z et al., 2015. Evaluating the role of international trade in the growth of china’s CO 2 emissions. Journal of Systems Science and Complexity , 28(4): 907-924.
57 Yan X, Erik D, 2014. A structural decomposition analysis of the emissions embodied in trade. Ecological Economics , 101: 10-20.
58 Yanli D, Masanobu I, Xianbing L et al., 2010. An analysis of the driving forces of CO 2 emissions embodied in Japan-China trade. Energy Policy , 38(11): 6784-6792.
59 You L, Hewitt C N, 2008. The effect of trade between China and the UK on national and global carbon dioxide emissions. Energy Policy , 36(6): 1907-1914.
60 Yu L, Shiyi C, Bin C et al ., 2017. Analysis of CO 2 emissions embodied in China's bilateral trade: a non-competitive import inputeoutput approach. Journal of Cleaner Production , 163(S1): S410-S419
61 Yuhuan Zhao, Song W, Jiaqin Y et al., 2016. Input-output analysis of carbon emissions embodied in China-Japan trade. Appied Economics, 48(16): 1515-1529.
Outlines

/