China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased
IntroductionPopulation expansion and economic development increased global greenhouse gas emissions, leading to serious environmental degradation. China, the world's largest developing country and promoter of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), accounts for 28.8% of the world"s total ene...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1338742/full |
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| author | Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Xintao Gan Yunshan Wan Yunshan Wan Lin Jin Jiaxi Teng Zeyu Li |
| author_facet | Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Xintao Gan Yunshan Wan Yunshan Wan Lin Jin Jiaxi Teng Zeyu Li |
| author_sort | Chunbo Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionPopulation expansion and economic development increased global greenhouse gas emissions, leading to serious environmental degradation. China, the world's largest developing country and promoter of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), accounts for 28.8% of the world"s total energy carbon emissions. How to reduce energy consumption to achieve the “double carbon” target (i.e., carbon peaking and carbon neutrality) and promote the implementation of Green BRI is still a serious challenge that China needs to face. MethodsWe evaluated China's carbon emissions using three indicators (i.e., total carbon emission, carbon intensity, and carbon emissions effect), and used spatial analysis to reveal the spatial and temporal trends of China's carbon emissions. In addition, the LMDI model was adopted to explore the driving mechanism of carbon emissions, so as to seek a path that can achieve harmonious economic and environmental development, as well as the “double carbon” target.ResultsChina's total carbon emission increased at a rate of 226.12% from 2000 to 2019, while the carbon intensity decreased at a rate of 48.84%. Carbon emission showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing from southwest to northeast. From 2000 to 2019, the total carbon emission, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), population size and total energy consumption are growing in synergy. Economic and population effects are positively related to carbon emissions, while technology effects are negatively related to it, indicating technological innovations contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.DiscussionSome suggestions were proposed to control carbon emissions with a view to helping policy makers to formulate relevant policies. The findings provide a scientific basis and reference for the country to achieve the “double carbon” target and the low-carbon sustainable development of BRI. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:37:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8de072f79664b99bdf46b44673e08d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:37:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8de072f79664b99bdf46b44673e08d92024-02-20T05:09:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2024-02-011210.3389/fevo.2024.13387421338742China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreasedChunbo Huang0Chunbo Huang1Chunbo Huang2Xintao Gan3Yunshan Wan4Yunshan Wan5Lin Jin6Jiaxi Teng7Zeyu Li8Hubei Key Laboratory of Regional Ecology and Environmental Change, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, ChinaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Québec at Montreal, Montreal, QC, CanadaHubei Key Laboratory of Regional Ecology and Environmental Change, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Regional Ecology and Environmental Change, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, ChinaChina Architecture Design & Research Group, Beijing, ChinaInterdisciplinary Program in Landscape Architecture/Integrated Major in Smart City Global Convergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of KoreaWuhan Yilin Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd., Wuhan, ChinaWuhan Forestry Survey Planning Design Institute, Wuhan, ChinaIntroductionPopulation expansion and economic development increased global greenhouse gas emissions, leading to serious environmental degradation. China, the world's largest developing country and promoter of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), accounts for 28.8% of the world"s total energy carbon emissions. How to reduce energy consumption to achieve the “double carbon” target (i.e., carbon peaking and carbon neutrality) and promote the implementation of Green BRI is still a serious challenge that China needs to face. MethodsWe evaluated China's carbon emissions using three indicators (i.e., total carbon emission, carbon intensity, and carbon emissions effect), and used spatial analysis to reveal the spatial and temporal trends of China's carbon emissions. In addition, the LMDI model was adopted to explore the driving mechanism of carbon emissions, so as to seek a path that can achieve harmonious economic and environmental development, as well as the “double carbon” target.ResultsChina's total carbon emission increased at a rate of 226.12% from 2000 to 2019, while the carbon intensity decreased at a rate of 48.84%. Carbon emission showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing from southwest to northeast. From 2000 to 2019, the total carbon emission, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), population size and total energy consumption are growing in synergy. Economic and population effects are positively related to carbon emissions, while technology effects are negatively related to it, indicating technological innovations contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.DiscussionSome suggestions were proposed to control carbon emissions with a view to helping policy makers to formulate relevant policies. The findings provide a scientific basis and reference for the country to achieve the “double carbon” target and the low-carbon sustainable development of BRI.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1338742/fullclimate changecarbon emissionLMDI modelhotspot analysislow carbon economy |
| spellingShingle | Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Chunbo Huang Xintao Gan Yunshan Wan Yunshan Wan Lin Jin Jiaxi Teng Zeyu Li China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution climate change carbon emission LMDI model hotspot analysis low carbon economy |
| title | China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| title_full | China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| title_fullStr | China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| title_full_unstemmed | China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| title_short | China contributed to low-carbon development: carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| title_sort | china contributed to low carbon development carbon emission increased but carbon intensity decreased |
| topic | climate change carbon emission LMDI model hotspot analysis low carbon economy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1338742/full |
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