Household carbon footprints of age groups in China and socioeconomic influencing factors

China has a large fastest-aging population, which would reshape household consumption patterns and influence global CO2 emissions. This study examines global CO2 emissions driven by household consumption (i.e., household carbon footprints, HCFs) of 34 age groups in China's 30 provinces and uncovers relevant socioeconomic influencing factors. Results show that China's population aging (i.e., the proportion of the elderly population) is conducive to global CO2 emission reduction during 2011-2014. This trend is mainly due to the relatively lower per capita HCFs of the elderly (1.7 t in 2014). In contrast, the per capita HCFs of the youth group are higher (3.3 t in 2014), mainly affected by the large expenditure on residence and transportation & communication. In addition, the HCFs of all age groups have increased during 2011-2014. Per capita expenditure is the most significant driver of this increase. The decline in CO2 emission intensity makes the largest contribution to reducing the HCFs of the youth group. For the aged group, expenditure structure change is the largest contributor to HCFs reduction. These findings reveal the differentiated impacts of China's household consumption by age on global CO2 emissions. This study lays the scientific foundation for deriving amelioration policies and achieving emission reduction targets in the process of population aging.

Impacts of poverty eradication on carbon neutrality in China

China is facing challenges to tackle the threat of climate change while reducing social inequality. Poverty eradication requires improvement in the living conditions of low-income households, which leads in turn to higher carbon footprints and may undermine the efforts of climate change mitigation. Previous studies have assessed the climate impacts of poverty eradication, but few have quantified how the additional carbon emissions of poverty eradication are shared at the subnational level in China and the impact on China's climate targets. We investigated the recent trend of carbon footprint inequality in China's provinces and estimated the climate burden of different poverty reduction schemes, measured by increased carbon emissions. The results indicate that poverty eradication will not impede the achievement of national climate targets, with an average annual household carbon footprint increase of 0.1%-1.2%. However, the carbon emissions growth in less developed provinces can be 4.0%, five times that in wealthy regions. Less developed regions suffer a greater climate burden because of poverty eradication, which may offset carbon reduction efforts. Therefore, interregional collaboration is needed to coordinate inequality reduction with investments in low-carbon trajectories in all provinces.

The impact of regional policy implementation on the decoupling of carbon emissions and economic development

The contradiction between economic growth demands and the achievement of the "dual-carbon" goals at the regional level is a pressing issue in China. As a significant economic and cultural center in the western region of China, the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration has experienced rapid development and urbanization, making it one of the key areas for national development. Therefore, greater attention should be given to carbon emission reduction in this region. This study focuses on the dataset from 2010 to 2019 in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, utilizing an input-output table to construct a carbon dioxide emission inventory. The research investigates the impact of regional classification on carbon emission levels within the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration. Furthermore, the Tapio decoupling analysis method is employed to assess the decoupling coefficient between regional economic development and carbon emissions. Additionally, the Theil index inequality analysis method is utilized to measure the disparities in per capita carbon emissions among cities within the region. Research findings indicate the following: 1) The regional classification of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration is an effective policy for reducing regional carbon emissions and promoting carbon emissions reduction. 2) There exist variations in energy and industrial structures among cities within the urban agglomeration, necessitating tailored measures for low-carbon transition based on the specific circumstances of each city. 3) The regional classification of the urban agglomeration significantly influences the degree of decoupling between economic development and carbon emissions, with a trend towards stronger decoupling. The study suggests that cities within the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration should adopt measures aligned with their natural conditions and economic characteristics to achieve a low-carbon transition. Leveraging the regional cooperation capacity of the urban agglomeration is crucial to decouple economic development from carbon emissions, thereby promoting sustainable economic growth and environmental protection in a mutually beneficial manner.

The global emission mitigation potential of avoiding waste and product lifespan extension by Chinese households

This paper examines the emission mitigation potential of Chinese households' low-carbon behavior by 2030 through a global carbon footprint scenario analysis. The emission reduction effect is estimated by comparing the projected global emissions in 2030 in a lifestyle emulation scenario and a low-carbon scenario, in which Chinese households adopt low-carbon consumption behaviors. Lifestyle emulation is modeled based on what we call "world Engel curves", which describe how the expenditure share of a certain consumption good depends on the total per capita expenditures for household consumption (which depends on income). By including a dynamic link between household lifestyle changes and GDP, we then obtain the emission projections under different scenarios in 2030, based on the historical data for 49 countries from 1995 to 2011 from EXIOBASE. Our results show that adopting a mild low-carbon lifestyle by households helps only little in terms of reducing GHG emissions. Reducing avoidable waste and expanding the lifetime of products are not enough to help meeting the 2 °C goal. More drastic changes are required.

A sector-disaggregated cross-regional emission analysis for carbon mitigation policies from production and consumption perspectives

As one of the most challenging environment issues worldwide, climate change has posed a serious threat to habitat, species, and people's livelihoods. In this study, a sector-disaggregated cross-regional emission analysis model is developed to systematically analyze enviro-economic effects of sector-level carbon mitigation efforts from both production and consumption perspectives for supporting climate change-related policymaking. A special case study of Hubei Province, China, is conducted to demonstrate the potential benefits of its use in the climate change related policymaking field. The power generation sector has been disaggregated into five subsectors based on different power generation technologies to help investigate the potential of such technologies to carbon emission mitigations. The carbon mitigation policy scenarios from both industry optimization and demand substitute perspectives will further be explored to provide bases for decision makers to formulate the desired carbon mitigation policy aimed at different regions and sectors. Results indicate that dominant direct and indirect CO2 emissions in Hubei Province are from the Production and supply of fossil-fuel power sector and Construction sector, respectively. When industry optimization policies on the fossil-fuel power sector (in Hubei), there are significant effects on the CO2 emission mitigation whichever regions. Therefore, industry optimization policies are suggested for implementation in specific sectors with close intersectoral/interprovince trade contacts and significant emissions to achieve joint carbon emission mitigations.

Analyzing the carbon emission effect and systematic emission reduction mechanism of the Sino-USA manufacturing trade

This study analyzed the theoretical mechanism of the carbon emission effect embodied in the Sino-USA manufacturing trade. We constructed a trade and carbon emission input-output model for 16 manufacturing sub-sectors in China and the USA from 2000 to 2018. A comprehensive empirical test of the systematic emission reduction mechanism was conducted. There were four main findings: (1) indirect and direct carbon emissions indicators can comprehensively analyze the link between production and demand across sectors; (2) indirect carbon emissions are higher than direct carbon emissions in half of the sectors in both China and the USA, and other sectors bear part of the carbon emissions for these sectors; (3) compared to 2000, the change in net exports of both countries is the main reason for the change in indirect carbon emissions, while the change in net exports of intermediate goods is the main reason for the change in direct carbon emissions; and (4) the Sino-USA trade surplus comes at the expense of China's environmental losses, while the USA obtains environmental benefits. Overall, the theoretical analytical framework not only comprehensively considers the interlinkages between production and demand across sectors but also provides a more reasonable evaluation of the environmental effects of Sino-USA trade. Additionally, this study provides a solid theoretical and empirical basis for China to achieve its dual-cycle and dual-carbon goals, thus promoting the rapid transformation of China's economy toward green and high-quality development.

The robustness and disturbance within China's industrial complex network under carbon border tariffs

Since the European Commission proposed in July 2021 to implement a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the impact mechanism has received increasing attention worldwide. This study aims to analyze the impact of carbon border tariffs on China's carbon-intensive industries and simulate the risk transmission within China's industrial complex network based on the complex network modeling and cascading failure analysis. The results showed that the industries subject to carbon border tariffs played an essential role in China's entire industrial structure, which is closely related to industries including construction, metal, and manufacturing. If the carbon border tariffs are imposed on the steel industry, China's relevant industries will be reduced by 1.29%, followed by the fertilizer industry and non-ferrous metal industry with proportions of 1.11% and 0.95%, respectively. When the industrial transmission threshold reaches 0.8, the export shocks will affect the entire industrial network, leading to a rapid growth in the number of infected industries. By depicting the industrial linkage and impact mechanism of carbon border tariffs, this study is expected to provide practical suggestions and implications for carbon-intensive industries towards sustainable low-carbon transition under carbon border tariffs.

Global transfer of salinization on irrigated land: Complex network and endogenous structure

Increasing globalization intensifies land redistribution via global supply chains. Interregional trade not only transfers embodied land but also displaces the negative environmental impact of land degradation from one region to another. This study sheds light on land degradation transfer by focusing on salinization directly whereas previous studies have extensively assessed the land resource embodied in trade. To analyze the relationships among economies under interwoven embodied flows, this study integrates complex network analysis and input-output method to observe the endogenous structure of the transfer system. By focusing on irrigated land with higher crop yields than dryland farming, we make policy recommendations on food safety and proper irrigation. The results of the quantitative analysis show that the total amount of saline and sodic irrigated land embodied in global final demand are 260978.23 and 424291.05 square kilometers respectively. Salt-affected area of irrigated land is imported by not only developed countries but also large developing countries such as Mainland China and India. Exports of embodied salt-affected land in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan are pressing issues, accounting for nearly 60% of total exports from net exporters worldwide. It is also demonstrated that embodied transfer network has a basic community structure of three groups due to regional preference in agricultural products trade.

Uncovering the risk spillover of agricultural water scarcity by simultaneously considering water quality and quantity

Not only insufficient water quantity but also inadequate water quality can pose constraints on agricultural production and result in potential economic losses. Such economic losses in agriculture may adversely impact downstream producers through reduced input supplies. In this study, we developed an index assessing potential economic losses in agriculture under both quantity- and quality-induced water scarcity, termed integrated Agricultural Water Scarcity Risk (AWSR). Combining integrated AWSR with a multi-regional input-output model, we estimated the spillovers of integrated AWSR along supply chains. Our results showed that the intersectoral transmission of virtual integrated AWSR (sectoral spillovers in terms of integrated AWSR) were 5 times the virtual quantity-based AWSR. Pollution significantly intensifies the indirect supply-chain repercussions of agricultural water scarcity. Moreover, we identified some primary virtual integrated AWSR exporters (e.g., Jiangsu-vegetables and Shandong-swine, of which the integrated AWSR had considerable spillover effects on downstream sectors) and importers (e.g., Henan-chemical industry and Henan-textiles, which were vulnerable to upstream integrated AWSR), that could not be detected in quantity-based AWSR results. This study underscores the importance of water quality in the assessments of AWSR. Strategies to mitigate the spillovers of AWSR might be inefficient without the consideration of water quality.

Decomposition analysis of global value chains: Uncovering vulnerable spots in a selected economy (the example of Czechia)

Recent global turmoil has added to the importance of food security issues and the sustainability of production processes worldwide. This study aims to uncover the degree of domestic industries' dependence on the international fragmentation of production processes and identify the countries of origin of those producers who have managed to displace domestic producers in corresponding Global Value Chains. Using data retrieved from the World Input-Output Database, we studied Czechia's example via demarcation of domestic value-added (DVA) shares from foreign ones in final domestic products. A declining trend in DVA signalises an ever-increasing dependence on foreign inputs. The conducted analysis allowed a VA-structure (and its dynamics for a sequence of years) to be clearly identified for final domestic products among 30 industries that virtually cover the entire economy. The most alarming finding is the marked reduction of DVA in food manufacturing, which points to a weakening of Czech food security. Realising all the connections within GVCs may help to identify vulnerable spots in domestic production processes and prepare adequate response mechanisms in potential situations of possible interruptions from the foreign side. The detailed explanation of the decomposition technique provided in the study can be used in similar analyses of other economies to reveal noteworthy trends and prepare response measures.

A factorial stepwise-clustering input-output model for unveiling water-carbon nexus from multi-policy perspectives

Water-carbon nexus exerts significant influence on environmental sustainability. The demand-side patterns of water-carbon nexus in supply chains have been extensively conducted. However, there is still research gap in unveiling supply-side complex relationships among various sectors from multi-policy perspectives. In this study, a factorial stepwise-clustering input-output (FSCIO) model is developed to uncover the complicated water-carbon nexus accompanied by analyses of multi-element, multi-sector and multi-policy. This is the first time that input-output analysis (IOA), stepwise cluster analysis (SCA) and factorial analysis (FA) are integrated to explore water-carbon nexus. Water-carbon flows along supply chains are tracked through IOA. SCA helps identify key sectors through evaluating the complexities in water-carbon nexus. FA helps examine different supply-side policies (i.e., input- and allocation-oriented policies, abbreviated as IOP and AOP) through quantifying the effects of multiple sectors and their interactions. We find that China's water-carbon characteristics in supply side differ greatly from those in demand side (e.g., construction is a significant final consumer and other service is more prominent as a primary supplier). The impacts of supply-side policies on different sectors vary significantly and AOP is generally better than IOP in the trade-off between water-carbon pressures mitigation and economic development. The effects of multiple sectors and their interactions on water and carbon shouldn't be neglected and the appropriate policy combinations could have good synergistic effects (e.g., IOP on electricity-gas-water supply, and AOP on chemical, machinery and other service). This study not only provides insight into the multifaceted features of China's water-carbon nexus, but also provides guidance for the supply-side policies.

Cascading impacts of global metal mining on climate change and human health caused by COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly disrupted global metal mining and associated supply chains. Here we analyse the cascading effects of the metal mining disruption associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy, climate change, and human health. We find that the pandemic reduced global metal mining by 10-20% in 2020. This reduction subsequently led to losses in global economic output of approximately 117 billion US dollars, reduced CO₂ emissions by approximately 33 million tonnes (exceeding Hungary's emissions in 2015), and reduced human health damage by 78,192 disability-adjusted life years. In particular, copper and iron mining made the most significant contribution to these effects. China and rest-of-the-world America were the most affected. The cascading effects of the metal mining disruption associated with the pandemic on the economy, climate change, and human health should be simultaneously considered in designing green economic stimulus policies.

Consumption-driven freight turnover of interprovincial trade and related air pollution emissions in China from 2007 to 2012

Freight transport has become increasingly important regarding CO₂ and air pollutant emissions in China but has rarely been assessed using consumption-based methods. Based on the multi-regional input-output tables of China, in this work, we use structural path analysis (SPA) to link interprovincial trade-related freight turnover to responsible sectors of final consumption. We find that from 2007 to 2012, the interprovincial trade turnover in China increased by 39% and reached 3.87 × 10¹² ton-km in 2012, associated with emissions of approximately 370 Mt CO₂, 6.1 Mt CO and 2.5 Mt NO_x. We also find that each 10 thousand CNY final consumption on interprovincial traded goods in China may drive 2000 ton-km of freight turnover and generate 200 kg CO₂ emissions. This environmental burden will decrease by a factor of five if only locally produced goods are consumed. Final consumption in equipment, construction, service and food caused the most significant freight turnover; they drive a large quantity of low-value-added but heavy-weight semifinished products, such as mining and metal products, to be shipped across the provinces at the very upstream of the supply chain. Policymakers should aim to optimize China's industrial geographical layout and trade structure to facilitate deep CO₂ reductions associated with the freight transport system.

Carbon emission structure decomposition analysis of manufacturing industry from the perspective of input-output subsystem: a case study of China

In China, manufacturing is the industry that consumes the most energy and emits the most carbon, and the effect of emission reduction on the process of reaching carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is decisive. The existing research on the driving factors of manufacturing carbon emissions has not analyzed the specific structural characteristics of manufacturing carbon emissions from the perspective of industrial relevance, and little attention has been paid to the discussion of carbon emission reduction paths of different manufacturing sectors from the perspective of final demand. This study examines the direct carbon emissions and carbon emissions from final demand in China's manufacturing sector, and decomposes the carbon emissions from final demand into six distinct components using input-output analysis. In addition, this study examines the carbon emission path in manufacturing production activities, as well as the carbon emission reduction potential and scenario prediction of the factors influencing manufacturing carbon emissions. In 2018, the direct carbon emissions and carbon emissions from final demand were approximately 4.61 billion tons and 3.50 billion tons, respectively. Meanwhile, direct and indirect spillovers accounted for 62.1% and 23.1% of carbon emissions from final demand, respectively. Using the carbon emission transfer route map of the manufacturing industry, the direction and amount of carbon emission transfer from various energy sources can be accurately determined. The CR scenario predicts that the manufacturing industry will reach its carbon peak between 2025 and 2030, with a corresponding peak between 4.02 and 4.06 billion tons, and that carbon emissions in 2060 will be 40% lower than in 2018.

Water transfer infrastructure buffers water scarcity risks to supply chains

Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) infrastructure has been expanding to deliver water across China to meet water demands in populated and industrial areas. Water scarcity may threaten the ability to produce and distribute goods through supply chains. Yet, it is not clear if IBWTs transmit or buffer water scarcity throughout supply chains. Here we combine a national database of IBWT projects and multi-region input-output analysis to trace water transferred by IBWT and virtual scarce water (scarcity weighted water use) from IBWT sourcing basins to production sites then to end consumers. The results indicate that production and final consumption of sectoral products have been increasingly supported by IBWT infrastructure, with physically transferred water volumes doubling between 2007 and 2017. Virtual scarce water is about half of the virtual water supporting the supply chain of the nation. IBWT effectively reduced virtual scarce water supporting the supply chains of most provinces, with the exposure to water scarcity reduced by a maximum of 56.7% and 15.0% for production and final consumption, respectively. IBWT Infrastructure development can thus buffer water scarcity risk to the supply chain and should be considered in water management and sustainable development policy decisions.

Evolution of household carbon emissions and their drivers from both income and consumption perspectives in China during 2010-2017

Household inputs and consumption play important roles in driving carbon emissions in China. However, existing studies have mainly studied consumption-based household carbon emissions in specific years to highlight consumption guidance and management, and little attention has been given to income-based accounting and policy-making focused on primary input behaviors and product allocation behaviors. In the quest for more coordinated and efficient mitigation strategies, we applied input-output analysis (IOA) combined with the biproportional scaling method (RAS) to obtain both income- and consumption-based annual accounting of rural and urban household carbon emissions from 2010 to 2017 and then used structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to determine key driving factors and sectors. Our results revealed that the proportions of income-based household emissions in gross emissions were higher than that of consumption-based household emissions. In terms of driving factors, per capita income/consumption contributed the largest increase in household emissions for most of the period, and population changes also showed a weak positive effect. However, intermediate input/output structure and carbon emission intensity were the main offsetting factors for household emissions. Compared with the consumption-based results, the income-based results can identify some new critical sectors that lead to household emission changes. Furthermore, the discrepant results for rural and urban household carbon emissions from both income and consumption perspectives suggest that differentiated measures of rural and urban households in key sectors are necessary. Finally, we propose industrial chain adjustment strategies and household input and consumption behavior recommendations in the context of urbanization.

Water footprint and virtual water trade analysis in water-rich basins: Case of the Chaohu Lake Basin in China

Water footprints and virtual water are widely used as essential tools for water use and conservation analysis of basins worldwide. Despite the importance of water-rich basins as the main force for water-saving, water use analysis has been mainly for water-scarce basins rather than water-rich basins in the existing literature. To fill the gap, in this paper, we investigate the water footprint and virtual water trade in a water-rich basin, namely the Chaohu Lake Basin in China, from 2007 to 2017 using input-output analysis. The results show that: (1) Water use efficiency in the Chaohu Lake Basin was significantly improved. The overall trend of the water intensity was declining, decreasing by 10.21 % in 2017 versus 2012; (2) The internal and external water footprints showed an upward trend, and the growth rate of total water footprint was 36.66 %; (3) The basin was a net virtual water exporter, but the net export flows of virtual water has decreased significantly. The virtual water net export flow decreased by 0.12 billion m³ in 2017 versus 2012; (4) Water resources in the basin were mainly used locally, and its supply to other provinces was minimal. Compared with some water-scarce basins such as the Heihe River Basin and Haihe River Basin, the Chaohu Lake Basin shows significant gaps in the virtual water export flow per capita and behaves differently in the proportion of virtual water transfer. Based on the above findings, we conclude with some guidance and implications for local governments and policymakers.

Quantifying the synergy and trade-offs among economy-energy-environment-social targets: A perspective of industrial restructuring

Protecting our environment while maintaining economic growth, requires a delicate balance among interlinked sustainable development policies. In this paper, we examine China's economic industries, including a high-resolution of the country's electricity sector during 2020-2030, using a multi-objective optimization model based on Input-Output analysis. This model, investigates the synergy and trade-offs of sustainable development goals in maximizing employment and GDP while minimizing energy and water consumption, CO₂ emissions, and five major pollutants to advance a sustainable industrial structure adjustment pathway for China. Our results reveal that there exists both synergies and trade-offs among multiple objectives, e.g., synergy among goals of minimizing air pollutant emissions and trade-offs between minimizing energy consumption and maximizing employment. Through the planned industrial restructuring period (2020-2030), the GDP, employment, carbon emission, and energy consumption will increase respectively by, 96.1%, 7.2%, 16.8%, 16.8%, and 6.3%, while pollutant emissions would decrease. Moreover, our research indicates that energy and water conservation should be prioritized in industrial structure adjustment strategies and policies. Our model demonstrates how the synergies and trade-offs among multiple policy targets can empower policy-makers, especially in developing nations, to make more informed and optimized industrial structure adjustment policies for sustainable development.

Mapping the changes of CH4 emissions in global supply chains

This study aims to identify methane (CH₄) emission flows along global supply chains from both production- and consumption-based perspectives and their temporal changes from 2000 to 2014. We employed the structural path analysis (SPA) method to examine the embodied CH₄ emission trade through inter-sectoral and inter-regional supply chains. Production activities in the sector of Agriculture (such as crop and animal production) and consumption activities in Construction (such as infrastructure) were the most significant contributors to global CH₄ emission increases during 2000-2014. Agriculture and Mining (such as coal mining) accounted for large shares of global embodied CH₄ trade at the final consumption tier (i.e., the trade of final goods or services), while Food (such as beverages and tobacco) and Heavy manufacturing (such as steel or automobile manufacturing) were significant contributors to embodied CH₄ emissions in the trade of intermediate goods or services directly used to produce final goods or services. This finding highlights the different potential of the sectors for CH₄ abatement along global supply chains. The United States imported the most embodied CH₄ emissions from foreign areas in 2000 in contrast to China, which dominated imports in 2014. Over 80% of China's embodied CH₄ emissions in 2014 were related to intermediate production along global supply chains due to industrial upgrading. India surpassed China as the largest direct emitter for producing final goods or services. Given the critical role of non-CO₂ greenhouse gases in global climate change, the spatiotemporal changes of CH₄ emissions in global supply chains can help explore the justified allocation of reduction responsibility between countries and sectors connected by the chains.

Adjusting the global industrial structure for minimizing global carbon emissions: A network-based multi-objective optimization approach

Although many scholars have focused on industrial structure adjustment to find the optimal balance between carbon emission reduction and economic growth, few studies have considered the comprehensive influence of the supply chain structure on carbon emissions. Based previous studies, we proposed a novel network-based optimization model. The results showed that carbon emissions would decrease by 4.31%, 6.26 and 8.07% with GDP increasing by 5.53%. 4.45% and 2.50% in different scenarios in the proposed network-based model, which performed better than the previous non-network-based model. There were some principal sectors which played special roles in the optimization of global industrial structure. To achieve the goal of global carbon emission reduction, some sectors should significantly reduce their total outputs such as materials and energy in China, while other sectors could continue to increase their total outputs such as machinery and services in China and South Korea. The results also showed that the change rate of carbon emissions was related with the costs of carbon emissions for the GDP growth. Countries with higher costs of carbon emissions, such as China, India and Russia, would burden more responsibilities. Furthermore, we found that the changes of the industrial structures of countries (regions) were different under global carbon emission reduction. Due to the current technology limitation, the production activities of energy and material industries in developing countries, such as China and India, should be reduced. Technology exportation of developed countries in such industries would be beneficial for the global carbon reduction.

COVID-19 and the Brazilian manufacturing sector: Roads to reindustrialization within societal purposes

The COVID-19 crisis represents a turning point to rethink industrial policy spaces and countries' productive autonomy, especially for developing economies, such as Brazil, that call for new ways of thinking about manufacturing within societal purposes. Using an input-output model, the paper explores the pandemic-crisis-effects in the case of the Brazilian manufacturing sector. We find that the pandemic-crisis has harmful effects on the Brazilian productive structure, revealing the dependence on imports of the Brazilian Health System. Reductions in manufacturing gross output and value-added are mainly seen in knowledge-intensive subsectors, followed by job losses and tax revenue reduction. We suggest that the pandemic points to some roads to reindustrialization and resilience, given the reorganization of international production networks and the growing dependence on imports in key manufacturing sectors. Thus, the potential role of the manufacturing sector to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth reveals the importance of building productive capacity beyond the pandemic.

Ecological network analysis of industrial wastes metabolism based on input-output model for Jiangsu, China

The enormous discharge of industrial waste seriously hinders the sustainable development of cities. However, most studies only involve a single or limited category of industrial pollutants, ignoring the environmental pressure caused by multiple resources and environmental factors. This paper combines input-output analysis and ecological network analysis to construct an industrial waste metabolic input-output (IWMIO) model, which explores the industrial waste discharge and discharge relationships among different sectors in Jiangsu Province from the three aspects of industrial wastewater, industrial waste gas, and industrial solid waste. The results show that the indirect discharge of industrial waste is greater than the direct discharge in the industrial waste metabolism system. TI (Tertiary industry), CI (Chemical industry), SPM (Smelting and pressing of metals), and PSEH (Production and supply of electricity and heat) dominate the industrial waste metabolism system. In addition, MWC (Mining and washing of coal), MNMP (Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products), SPM (Smelting and pressing of metals) have more mutualism and competition relationships with other sectors, so the control of industrial waste discharge in these sectors contributes to achieving emission reduction targets. Based on the research results, this paper proposes corresponding policy recommendations such as considering both direct and indirect emissions of sectors when formulating waste reduction policies and developing pertinent industrial waste reduction programs based on the characteristics of the identified sectors. The results of this paper are helpful to identify the dependence and influence relationships of various sectors in the industrial waste metabolism system, promote industrial waste discharge control, and provide theoretical support for the adjustment of industrial structure and the formulation of related policies in Jiangsu Province.

Sustainable conjunctive water management model for alleviating water shortage

Water shortage poses a great challenge to the health of population and environment and impedes socio-economic development. Therefore, a comprehensive model is necessary to promote the adaptation of the whole socio-economic system to limited water resources. To achieve it, a sustainable conjunctive water management model (SCWM) was developed. In SCWM, direct (physical) and indirect (virtual or embodied) water consumptions of multiple water resources in future scenarios are projected, and the sustainable performances of various water-saving scenarios are quantified from the perspectives of water resources, economy, and ecosystem under water capping policy. A case study of Shaanxi, a typical water shortage province in central-eastern China, is conducted aimed at conquering the irrational use of surface- and ground-water subjected to the constraint of future total water use quota. Key findings contain optimal possibility of adapting water shortage via saving water through increasing industrial water efficiency to 11.12 m³/10,000 CNY and reducing 40% of agricultural final demand (Summation of direct and indirect water savings of the two scenarios are 41.57 × 10⁸ m³ and 20.27 × 10⁸ m³, respectively.) and nonsynergistic effects of simultaneous decreasing final demand of multiple sectors on water consumption intensity (WCI) of total (all kinds of water) water, surface- and ground-water. To devise effective policies for conjunctive management of surface- and ground-water, positive utility, economic structure and water productivity should be heeded, and proposals emphasize trade-offs between surface water saving and groundwater conservation, water metabolic and socio-economic systems sustainability and negative interaction of multiple sectors on economy and WCI should be framed. The innovation of this study is the development of SCWM, which can provide sustainable solution for future multiple-source water saving management measures thoroughly concerning direct and indirect water and sectorial interactions. The model not only brings insights to Shaanxi's water management but also can be used for other similar arid area.

Relieving the water-energy nexus pressure through whole supply chain management: Evidence from the provincial-level analysis in China

Water-energy nexus (WEN) is an international hot-spot issue, while more attentions have been paid to the direct nexus effect resulting from production activities. In this context, this study firstly used the multiregional input-output (MRIO) analysis to offer a full spectrum of water and energy usage throughout the whole supply chain in China, considering production-based perspective and betweenness-based and consumption-based perspectives. And then the principal components analysis (PCA) was applied to further target the critical WEN sectors in Chinese's 30 provinces. The results show that: (1) For most of these provinces, the direct WEN pressure caused by production activities can be found in several traditional resource-intensive sectors, especially in S22 (Production and supply of electric power and steam) and S14 (Smelting and pressing of metals). (2) The most critical transmission sectors with WEN pressure was S12 (Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products), followed by S14 in most of these province. S22 was the key transmission center in several provinces, and S7 (Manufacture of textile) in Fujian and Hubei and S10 (Papermaking and printing) in Zhejiang and Hainan should also be highly-concerned. (3) For all of these provinces, the indirect WEN pressure driven by final consumption appeared in S24 (Construction industry). In addition, S16 (Manufacture of general and special-purpose machinery) and S17 (Manufacture of Transport equipment) were the other two key consumption-based WEN sectors in some provinces. Overall, the WEN pressures in Jiangsu were relatively great in China, and S12 in Hubei was the only sector facing great WEN pressure from all three perspectives. Our results can draw implications for regional sustainable development in China.

Decline of virtual water inequality in China's inter-provincial trade: An environmental economic trade-off analysis

The trade-off between economic growth and environmental conservation is a significant factor in national environmental management. Previous studies have revealed that there are substantial water resources embodied in the inter-regional trade of China, but there is a scarcity of studies analyzing the cost-benefit inequality in trade, which should be considered when developing water resource allocation and conservation policies. The aim of the present study was to fill the gap in existing research by constructing a novel virtual water inequality index based on the net transfers of virtual water and value added between trading provinces. The results of the present study reveal that the virtual water trade of China accounts for about a third of the annual water use thereof and tends to flow from interior developing provinces to coastal developed provinces. Over 70% of consumption-based water consumption of richer provinces (Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai) is imported from other regions; however, approximately 60% of the value added triggered by the final consumption of said regions is retained within the region. When trading with rich provinces, several developing provinces with rich water resources, such as Xinjiang and Heilongjiang, not only incur net water outflows but also suffer a negative balance of value added, thereby resulting in the occurrence of virtual water inequality. However, with the coordinated development of China's economy, the problem of virtual water inequality in China's inter-provincial trade has been alleviated to some extent. Advocating water pricing system reform to reflect local water scarcity is suggested, especially in arid regions. Additionally, a virtual water compensation scheme considering cost-benefit inequality in trade may also be a practical solution.

Development of an SMR-induced environmental input-output analysis model - Application to Saskatchewan, Canada

As an emerging power generation technology, small module reactors (SMRs) have the potential for development with its contribution to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, an SMR-induced environmental input-output model (SEIOM) is proposed to simulate the environmental consequences of SMRs development and provide suggested schemes for SMRs deployment. A case study of Saskatchewan, Canada is conducted to demonstrate the proposed model. Specifically, key industries with high reduction potentials are first identified in the study; then, the power supply for three energy-intensive industries is assumed to be replaced by power generated from SMRs at various penetration degrees. The corresponding changes in direct and indirect GHG emissions and the interrelationships among multiple economic sectors associated with GHG flows are analyzed. The results indicate that there are close interdependences between various sectors and a small group of sectors could play a big role in GHG emission mitigation. In Saskatchewan, "Electricity power generation, transmission and distribution", "Oil and gas extraction", "Potash mining" and "Petroleum refineries" are key sectors for realizing GHG emission reduction targets. Meanwhile, it is estimated that replacing the power supply for "Oil and gas extraction" sector with SMRs would contribute the most to the reduction in GHG emission, which is much more than those for "Potash mining" and "Petroleum refineries" sectors. This study is expected to provide a basis for supporting the initiative and application of SMRs.

Factors influencing embodied energy trade between the Belt and Road countries: a gravity approach

Against the backdrop of current global collaboration on mitigating carbon emissions, how to reduce the energy uses in the Belt and Road Initiative area becomes an urgent and big challenge facing the global community. Using the Eora input-output database, this paper accounts the embodied energy trade between Belt and Road countries in 2015, followed by an investigation of the factors influencing the embodied energy trade through a panel gravity model. Global value chain participation and position are two newly considered factors in analyzing the determinants of embodied energy flow. We find that the main bilateral embodied flow paths are from South Korea to China, China to South Korea, Singapore to China, Ukraine to Russia, and Malaysia to Singapore. Five percent embodied energy flow paths account for 80% of the total bilateral embodied energy flow volume between Belt and Road countries. The gravity model results indicate that gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, population, global value chain participation are the key drivers of bilateral embodied energy trade, while the industrial share of GDP and global value chain position are negatively related to the trade. Energy intensity plays a crucial role in reducing the bilateral embodied energy flow. These results are useful in the policymaking of sustainable development for the Belt and Road Initiative.

Trade-related water scarcity risk under the Belt and Road Initiative

Increasing trade cooperation under the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative has promoted economic development and intensified the water scarcity risk transmission between China and countries along the route (B&R countries). Local water scarcity risk (LWSR, the potential direct production losses induced by local water scarcity) can transcend geographical boundaries through global supply chains and influence production activities in downstream economies. To understand the vulnerability of the Initiative to water scarcity, we investigated the impacts of LWSR in China and B&R countries on each other's economies during 2001-2013, using a global environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model. Results reveal that more than 80% of China's trade-related water scarcity risk imports (TWSR imports, the vulnerability to foreign water scarcity risk through imports) originates from B&R countries. The share of TWSR from China in total imports of B&R countries has steadily increased. In particular, India, Thailand, Iran, Pakistan and Kazakhstan have the largest TWSR exports (LWSR in each nation transmitted to other nations through its exports) to China, while South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have the largest imports from China. Water scarcity to their Agriculture sectors is responsible for TWSR transmission between them. Our study can contribute to the policy-making of governments and firms involved in mitigating the supply chain wide water scarcity risk. It also reveals the need for nations to collectively manage water resources to achieve sustainable development.

Development of carbon emission interactive network model: A case study of Northeast Industrial District

Urban carbon emission is one of the hotspots of global change research. The interactive relationships among the carbon emissions of various sectors within the social-economic system are often overlooked. The goal of this research is to take Northeast Industrial District (NID) including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces as a special case study to explore the impact of different emission sources on the internal interaction of carbon emission system. To do so, a carbon emission interactive network (CEIN) model is developed to demonstrate the interactions of embodied carbon emissions within the system using factorial analysis and input output analysis. The control situation and mutual interactions between sectors within the system of NID were examined, and the impacts of different emission sources on the internal interaction of carbon emission system were discussed. Moreover, the utility indicators were revised to distinguish the impact of system boundaries on changes in system ecological relationships and evaluate the comprehensive properties of the system. It is found that the indirect emissions of NID were huge. Liaoning Province had the largest total emissions during the study period, with indirect emissions accounting for more than 60% of the total emissions. The pulling weights of the agricultural sector in three provinces of the system were significantly insufficient, with all weights less than 3%. The driving weights of the agricultural, mining and primary manufacture sectors in three provinces were insufficient, while the driving weight of the advanced manufacture sector was excessively strong. The most important transmission department did not have the most important effect on the network mutualism. The definition of system boundary had a huge impact on the accounting of system emissions. The results will provide a scientific basis for guiding the reform of the carbon emission system and achieving regional coordinated development.

Searching appropriate system boundary for accounting India's emission inventory for the responsibility to reduce carbon emissions

This paper explores the features of accounting for the national carbon emission inventory under four different system boundaries, including the presently operational territorial production-based accounting (PBA) practised by the UNFCCC. Using a recently published input-output table with the base year for 2013-2014, the study calculates India's 'Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)' to the mitigation of carbon emissions using production-based, consumption-based, sharing-based and equity-based accounting. The study finds India as a net importer of carbon emissions, especially for its high emission-intensive capital and energy goods import such that the country is bearing the minimum burden of emission reduction responsibility. However, the study intends to analyse this burden of responsibility in terms of the criteria of justice and effectiveness and addresses the future policy priorities for India to become a net exporter of industrial goods. We recommend India for supporting and implementing an alternative system boundary of emission inventory accounting which would be more consistent with the provisions of 'equity' subscribed under the UNFCCC while at the same time, helpful for achieving the climate goals by appropriately trace and track the sources of 'carbon leakage'.

Road freight emission in China: From supply chain perspective

Freight emissions management has entered the deep-water zone. This study evaluated road freight emissions from supply chain perspective using China's 2007, 2010 and 2012 multiregional input-output table. For the first time, we quantified road freight emission based on sectors in China. Heavy industries, mining, agriculture and light industry contributed 71%,14%, 12% and 3% of total NO_x emissions in 2012 from production perspective. Construction was the largest consumption sector (43%) responsible for road freight emission from consumption perspective. Upstream transport and final product transport emitted 3.04 Tg (80%) and 0.77 Tg (20%) NO_x in 2012. Huge disparities of road freight emissions flows and allocation patterns were found across provinces in China in terms of resource endowments, geographical position and economic development. The road freight emission increased rapidly from 2007 to 2012, and economic growth effect outpaced emission control effect caused by emission standard upgrade and thus dominated the emission growth. The production structure and consumption pattern changes also promoted the emission growth. It is thus important to mitigate freight emissions with different strategies based on a certain sector's freight emissions features from the whole supply chain.

Mapping spatial supply chain paths for embodied water flows driven by food demand in China

Identifying critical spatial supply chain paths for embodied water flows driven by food demand can guide the development of more spatially explicit food-related policies for water savings. Previous studies have quantified water uses caused by food demand, but overlook intermediate transfer paths within and among regions. That is, spatial supply chain paths describing step-by-step transfer stages between water uses and final food demand have not been well characterized. Based on the multi-regional input-output model and structural path analysis, this study exhaustively identifies critical spatial supply chain paths for provincial water withdrawals driven by final food demand in China. Results show that the final demand of food products from critical sectors (e.g., agricultural products processing, rice, and swine) and regions (e.g., Xinjiang, Heilongjiang, and Guangdong) drives large amounts of water withdrawals. Critical supply chain paths indicate that agricultural products processing, food manufacturing, and catering should pay special attention to increasing the use efficiency of rice, poultry, cotton, water, and gas products, which can effectively reduce national water withdrawals. The interregional paths further provide evidence for interregional cooperation to save food-related water resources, such as the transfer of capital and technologies from agricultural products processing in Shandong to cotton production in Xinjiang and rice production in Heilongjiang. These critical supply chain paths provide spatially explicit and targeted hotspots for demand-side policies. They can also serve for the evaluation of measures in each stage of the supply chain paths.

Global environmental inequality: Evidence from embodied land and virtual water trade

The trade-off between economic growth and environmental conservation is the focus of national environmental management. Previous studies have proved that global trade can bring both economic benefits and environmental costs to all countries. However, for different countries, it is not clear whether the environmental costs match their economic benefits in global trade. Also, whether the global trade exacerbates or mitigates the uneven distribution of natural resources among countries need to be further investigated. This study aims to fill these research gaps by providing evidence of global environmental inequality from land and water perspective, thus inspire new thinking on the optimization of global trade patterns. We construct an environmental inequality index based on the world Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) model, and perform a case study for land and water. Results show that most of countries with low per capita land resources are net importers of embodied land, while many countries with extreme water shortages are net exporters of virtual water, such as India, Pakistan, Iran and Egypt, indicating that the global trade encourages the optimal distribution of land resources but exacerbates the uneven distribution of water resources. The environmental cost of developed countries is much lower than that of developing countries compared to their economic gains from global trade, and the inequality of virtual water trade is higher than that of embodied land trade. High-income countries mainly export high value-added products with low environmental costs, while developing countries are just the opposite. We suggest that due to the lack of a unified global natural resource market, resource tax may be an effective means to reduce global environmental inequality and resource mismatch, and policies aimed at reducing environmental inequality can help achieve coordinated management of land and water resources.

Chinese household environmental footprint and its response to environmental awareness

Sustainable consumption has become an important issue when the world has limited resources and deteriorating environment. Given the context, this study first examines the influence of income disparities on different environmental footprints of Chinese households. We combine the input-output model with Chinese household survey data from the China family panel studies. The results show that, on an average, the carbon dioxide (CO₂), pollutants, water and energy footprints of richest families are about 4.5-5.9 times larger than that of poorest households. Furthermore, the richest families even have 9.2-11.5 times larger metal and non-metal footprints. The consumption structure change can act as a driving factor to offset the increase in CO₂, pollutants, water and energy footprints brought about by income rise, since it has reduced the household footprints per unit expenditure. However, the consumption structure change may increase the metal and non-metal footprints per unit expenditure simultaneously, making the metal and non-metal footprints increase faster than the other footprints as income increases. Since environment awareness is expected as a factor to further restrain household environment footprints on the demand side, we also examine how one important component of environmental awareness-perceived seriousness of environmental problems-influences household footprints based on the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model. While emphasizing seriousness of environmental issues can cause a slight decline in the metal and non-metal footprints, it surprisingly increases the CO₂, energy, and pollutants footprints; it does not influence the water footprint. In addition, perception of the seriousness of environmental problems impacts the environmental behaviors of wealthy families more than poor families. These findings demonstrate the need to formulate policies to overcome the demand-side challenge of achieving sustainability.

Exploring the consumption-based carbon emissions of industrial cities in China: a case study of Tianjin

Cities are usually the final destination for consumable goods and services produced along supply chains and the most appropriate scale to implement policy. Consumption-based policies could complement current carbon emissions mitigation actions, but such studies at the city level are relatively rare. We used a demand-driven input-output model to explore a historical time series (1987-2012) of consumption-based emissions in Tianjin for the first time, a typical industrial city which has the largest carbon footprint in China. The results reveal the differences between consumption- and production-based emissions, and Tianjin has transformed from a producer city into a typical consumer city since 2000s, mainly due to infrastructure construction. There is more capital investment in industrial infrastructures than in real estate in Tianjin, causing the largest carbon footprint. The trade deficit and different carbon intensity have substantial influences on consumption-based emissions. Finally, population, income, and urbanization could enable a more accurate interpretation of urban carbon footprint growth. Demand-driven policy implications for addressing these emissions in booming industrial cities are discussed and provide a new perspective on carbon emissions mitigation. Our results offer valuable lessons on industrial cities' strategies and initiatives for climate change mitigation worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

Spillover effects of the United States economic slowdown induced by COVID-19 pandemic on energy, economy, and environment in other countries

The United States has become the country hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has not only led to the largest decline in economic output but also caused a sharp decline in carbon emissions and energy consumption in the United States after World War II. This study aims to evaluate how to spillover effects of the US economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the 3E (Energy Economy Environment) in other countries. To this end, the international 3E for 2000 and 2014, and nine indicators based on network analysis to dynamically study the changes in the degree of 3E impact between countries. And then, we analyzed the impact of the epidemic on the 3E of various countries, with focusing on the interaction between the United States and other countries. The results show that the internal carbon emission density and internal energy consumption density of the United States declined during 2010-2014, whereas the internal carbon emission density and internal energy consumption density of developing countries increased. Next, changes in US carbon emissions induced by the epidemic have a more significant impact on Canada, China, Mexico, the European Union, and Russia. Finally, the internal and external carbon emission indexes of most countries have decreased, which indicates that most countries are affected by the carbon reduction and energy consumption caused by the pandemic in the US. This information provides a new perspective for assessing the impact of 3E between countries suffered from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Water, energy, and carbon dioxide footprints of the construction sector: A case study on developed and developing economies

Buildings and construction are major driver of anthropogenic environmental effects. While energy use and CO₂ emissions of buildings and construction have been quantified, their water footprint remains understudied from an economy-wide perspective. We use environmentally-extended multi-regional input-output analysis to quantify the water, energy and carbon (dioxide) footprints associated with the construction sector of India, Italy, South Africa, and the UK, disaggregating the supply chains driving these environmental effects by using structural path analysis. Comparisons are made in terms of contributions by country, by sector, by stage of the supply chain and in terms of actual supply chain pathways. Results show that Italy and the UK have more disaggregated and international supply chains compared to India and South Africa. Total (i.e. direct + indirect) water footprints of construction sectors vary from 11.8 to 14.8 L/USD for all countries, except India at 78.1 L/USD. There was no notable correlation between water and energy and carbon dioxide footprints in terms of sectoral contributions, even if the latter two are correlated. More developed economies exhibit a higher share of international WF than developing economies. The current focus on energy and carbon dioxide footprints might therefore miss out on significant water impacts caused by construction activities, globally.

Identifying the key sectors for regional energy, water and carbon footprints from production-, consumption- and network-based perspectives

Energy consumption, water use and carbon emission targets are important for promoting sustainable development. This study presents a multi-goal analytical framework based on an environmental input-output analysis, structural path analysis and correspondence analysis to identify the key sectors for energy, water and carbon footprints. Using Guangdong Province as a case study, the energy, water and carbon footprints are modelled from production-based, consumption-based and network (betweenness)-based perspectives. The results show that (1) the construction sector is a key sector for energy use/water use/carbon emissions from the three perspectives. The electricity and heat power production and supply sector emitted the most production-based CO₂ (283.4 Mt), accounting for 52.3% of the total CO₂ emissions. (2) The key sectors in terms of energy, water and carbon differ. The transport, storage and post sector is an important sector for energy consumption, and the agriculture sector and food and tobacco sector are important sectors for freshwater withdrawal. (3) The key sectors differ according to the three perspectives. For example, the energy production sector ranked first in production-based CO₂ emissions (286.2 Mt), but heavy manufacturing ranked first in consumption-based CO₂ emissions (146.3 Mt). This study recommends paying more attention to the abovementioned sectors, specifically concerning the transmission role of light manufacturing in freshwater withdrawal, and reducing energy consumption-intensive but low value-added exports (such as metal smelting and pressing). The findings highlight the need to consider multiple angles and elements to identify the key sectors and help decision makers better understand the relationships and flows among the industries.

How the manufacturing economy impacts China's energy-related GHG emissions: Insights from structural path analysis

As "the world's factory", China's energy consumption and GHG emissions can be largely attributed to its manufacturing economy. This paper aims to examine energy-related methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by Chinese economy from a consumption-based perspective, and to explore the energy-climate-manufacturing nexus relationship in its supply chains. Nearly three-quarters of China's energy-related GHG emissions in 2012 were associated with the manufacturing industry directly or indirectly. Among which, over two-fifths of the national CH₄ and CO₂ emissions were embodied in the final demand of manufacturing products, mainly driven by the exports and capital formation. Meanwhile, manufacturing sectors served as important intemediate transmission nodes of embodied emissions for other industries such as construction and services. More than 80% and 40% of the embodied emissions in the sectors of construction and services were related to the intermediate uses of manufacturing products, respectively. Critical supply chain paths for linking embodied GHG emissions with manufacturing sectors were extracted through the structural path analysis technique. The top 30 common paths were responsible for about one fifth of the total CH₄ and CO₂ emissions. Three main transmission nodes of embodied energy-related GHG emission flows were identified. While approximately half of the energy-related CH₄ emissions occurred at the fourth or higher production layers, the CO₂ emissions were distributed evenly across the production layers. Mitigating energy-related GHG emissions associated with manufacturing economy by adjusting critical industrial sectors and final demands provides new insights for understanding the transitions of China's manufacturing industries to a low-carbon economy.

Two-pathway perspective for heavy metal emission mitigation: A case study of Guangdong Province, China

Heavy metal emissions have attracted much worldwide attention for its recalcitrance and persistence. In this study, a two-pathway environmental simulation model is developed to uncover heavy metal emissions as induced by intra-provincial production and extra-provincial investments, filling the gap of mitigating heavy metal emissions from separate pathway. This developed model is applied to Guangdong Province, China targeting on the mitigation of Hg, As, Cd, Cr, and Pb emissions. Additionally, emission reduction simulations are implemented on the basis of key sector identification. The effects of intra-provincial production reduction are more notable than those of extra-provincial investment reduction. In addition, mitigation of Hg and As emissions can be achieved through the reduction in both intra-provincial production and extra-provincial investment. In the contrast, it is not expected that the reduction of extra-provincial investment be duo to the emission mitigation of Cd, Cr and Pb. Moreover, an examination of five optimized scenarios reveals that the most remarkable emission mitigation pathway is the reduction of intra- and extra-provincial activities. This study is an indispensable reference for multi-pathway emission mitigation for heavy metals.

Multi-dimensional diagnosis model for the sustainable development of regions facing water scarcity problem: A case study for Guangdong, China

Freshwater consumption and wastewater discharge of economic activities have caused water scarcity problem in many regions. This study aims to develop a multi-dimensional diagnosis model (MDDM) to provide new insights for the sustainable development of regions which face water scarcity problem. In detail, the sectorial blue water, grey water and total water consumptions are assessed to reveal the direct effects of economic activities on water quantity and water quality. Then, hypothetical extraction method is integrated into input-output model and ecological network analysis to quantify the system-based effects of sectors in three dimensions: economy, water and metabolism. A case study of Guangdong province, China is conducted to illustrate the availability of the developed model. We found that the multi-dimensional performances of Guangdong's socioeconomic system are dominated by a few sectors. Wastewater, especially that discharged from the primary industry, is the main reason for the local water scarcity. Specifically, the unique role that every sector plays in the socioeconomic system is quantitatively revealed by MDDM, which could guide the relevant policy development at sectorial level.

Embodied energy and intensity in China's (normal and processing) exports and their driving forces, 2005-2015

International trade has important impacts on a country's energy consumption. This paper first uses the time-series (2005-2015) extended input-output database to study China's embodied energy and intensity in both normal and processing exports. Structural decomposition analysis (SDA) is then applied to analyze the driving forces behind the embodiment changes. The empirical results show that China's energy embodied in both normal and processing exports first increased in 2005-2008, dropped in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, and then rose again after 2009, and finally dropped in 2014-2015. The embodied energy in trade as a percentage of total energy consumption in China was relatively stable before and after the global financial crisis, at around 28% over the 2005-2008 period, and 22% over the 2009-2015 period. The contribution of the aggregate embodied intensity (AEI) of exports to China's aggregate energy intensity dropped from 30% in 2005 to 21% in 2015. Among China's trading partners, the United States, Japan and Korea together accounted for around half of China's embodied energy and AEI in exports in 2005, but their shares dropped to only one third in 2015. Energy efficiency improvement played the key role in reducing the embodied energy and intensity in China's exports. Similar analysis can be applied to other regions and indicators.

Changes in agricultural land requirements for food provision in China 2003-2011: A comparison between urban and rural residents

Rapid income growth and urbanization have led to significant changes in food consumption patterns in China. The impact of dietary changes is likely to increase agricultural land demand for food provision. This study investigates the changes in three types of agricultural land requirements for urban and rural residents in China using embodied land use intensities. Our results indicate that total per capita cultivated land requirement of rural residents decreased by 24.3%, from 1984 to 1501 m² during the study period, while total per capita cultivated land requirement for urban residents decreased by 25.1%, from 2736 to 2049 m². Total per capita pasture land requirement of rural residents increased by 13.6%, from 543 to 617 m², while total per capita pasture land requirement of urban residents decreased by 31.4%, from 2991 to 2053 m². Total per capita forest land requirement of rural residents increased by 31.0%, from 45 to 59 m², while total per capita forest land requirement of urban residents decreased by 8.4%, from 164 to 150 m². Our study provides clear implications about the linkages between dietary change and agricultural land demand. Our results imply that without sufficient improvement in production efficiency, pressures posed by dietary change on land resources related to the provision of food will remain high in the future.

Identifying the socioeconomic drivers of solid waste recycling in China for the period 2005-2017

Solid waste recycling is crucial for easing China's resource constraints and for promoting the country's sustainable economic development. Previous studies regarding solid waste recycling have mainly assessed its economic value, the status quo, problems and challenges, however, little is known at this stage about its driving factors. The purpose of the current study is to identify the socioeconomic drivers of solid waste recycling, investigating it's evolution in China from 2005 to 2017. The study employs a systematic technique of input-output (IO) analysis and IO-based structural decomposition analysis (IO-SDA). Results reveal that China experienced an increase in the recycling of five types of solid waste, these include waste steel, waste nonferrous metals, waste plastics, waste paper and waste rubber for the period 2005-2017. The increase in solid waste recycling was driven mainly by fixed capital formation and exports, while urban household consumption was found to be a dominant driver due to China's increasing urban population. In order to better track and identify the recycling of solid waste, there is an urgent need to promote the classification of household solid waste at the national level. An increase of solid waste recycling was driven mainly by the growth of recycling intensity, population increase and changes in the structure of GDP, which was partly offset by per capita GDP changes. It is recommended that policy-makers increase the amount of investment in solid waste recycling capacity in rural areas so as to enhance recycling intensity contributing to the overall recycling effort.

Estimating employment from energy-efficiency investments

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Uses input-output approach to estimate clean energy jobs from investments.

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Method for estimating the number and types of jobs from energy-efficiency investments.

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Estimates jobs from efficiency investments in homes, businesses, and industry.

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Creates “bills of goods” to examine the job impacts of investments in energy efficiency.

We develop a methodology for estimating the number and types of jobs that would result from investments in energy efficiency in homes, businesses, and industry. The methodology involves the development of input-output (I-O) bills of goods that characterize how energy-efficiency funds would be spent across sectors of the economy. The methodology builds on and adds greater articulation to the research conducted in prior studies of U.S. energy-efficiency policies.•

The first two steps involve estimating the magnitude of investments in energy-efficient technologies and systems required to produce a unit of energy consumption reduction, and then identifying how these investments are expensed across the broad investment categories, which creates the preliminary “bills of goods” for investments in energy efficiency in homes, businesses, and industry.

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The third step involves soliciting feedback on the preliminary bills of goods from experts in delivering and evaluating energy-efficiency programs, and then making necessary modifications.

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In the final step we apply the input-output coefficients representing the bills of goods to estimate the direct, indirect and induced employment per million dollars of investment in energy efficiency.

Using input-output analysis to model the impact of pandemic mitigation and suppression measures on the workforce

The "flatten the curve" graphic has recently become a common tool to visualize the extent to which pandemic suppression and mitigation measures could potentially reduce and delay the number of daily infections due to a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the capacity of the many healthcare systems and created cascading economic impacts on interdependent sectors of the global society. This paper specifically explores the impact of pandemics on the workforce. The model proposed in this paper comprises of three major steps. First, sources for epidemic curves are identified to generate the attack rate, which is the daily number of infections normalized with respect to the population of the affected region. Second, the model assumes that the general attack rate can be specialized to reflect sector-specific workforce classifications, noting that each economic sector has varying dependence on the workforce. Third, using economic input-output (IO) data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, this paper analyzes the performance of several mitigation and suppression measures relative to a baseline pandemic scenario. Results from the IO simulations demonstrate the extent to which mitigation and suppression measures can flatten the curve. This paper concludes with reflections on other consequences of pandemics such as the mental health impacts associated with social isolation and the disproportionate effects on different socioeconomic groups.

Analysis of urban carbon metabolism characteristics based on provincial input-output tables

To identify the key contributors of urban carbon emissions as well as the acting paths, it is necessary to analyze the carbon flows from a systematic perspective. Thus, the concept of urban carbon metabolism was introduced in this paper and correspondingly input-output analysis (IOA) and ecological network analysis (ENA) were combined to conduct the carbon metabolism analysis. Concretely speaking, the urban IO table was compiled based on the provincial one and then the direct and embodied urban carbon flows were accounted. Subsequently, the carbon metabolic network model was established, through which the characteristics of the metabolic network were further analyzed to better reveal the contributors and influencing factors of carbon emissions. Dongguan, a city famous as the "factory of the world", was chosen as the case. The results indicate that the total direct and embodied carbon flows were mainly concentrated in manufacture. Manufacture was found to be major factors affecting other compartments through indirect interplay. A trophic hierarchical structure was found, where compartments can be classified into primary producers, secondary producers, primary consumers and secondary consumers according to their metabolic characteristics in use of energy. Electricity, gas & water were defined as secondary producer, and its self-induced carbon flows accounted for more than 95% of the carbon flow conversion within this compartment. By further comparing the metabolic characteristics in Dongguan with that of Guangdong Province and other cities, measures were suggested to heighten energy utilization efficiency and promote positive interactions among compartments to promote the carbon emission reduction in Dongguan.

China's CO2 emissions embodied in fixed capital formation and its spatial distribution

This study aims to measure China's CO₂ emissions embodied in fixed capital formation (FCF) from 2007 to 2017 by using both a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model and a single-region input-output model (SRIO). Then decoupling analysis was performed for uncovering the relationship between embodied CO₂ emissions and added values at provincial level. Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method was further conducted to identify driving factors underlying the growth of embodied CO₂ emissions. Results show that CO₂ emission from FCF doubled from 2436 million tons (Mt) in 2007 to 4820 Mt in 2012, and increased slightly to 5089 Mt in 2017. Electric power, gas, and water production and supply sector (EGW) and manufacturing industry (MFI) sector were two dominant emitters from supply-side perspective, while construction (CON) was the largest demanding sector driving the embodied emissions from upstream sectors. From geographical point of view, northern provinces were the major inter-regional net exporters of embodied CO₂ emissions, while eastern and southern provinces were net importers of embodied CO₂ emissions. Based on such results, policy recommendations are proposed considering the relation between supply and demand sector, inter-provincial CO₂ emission transfer, and local economic development to mitigate CO₂ emissions from China's FCF.

Forward and backward critical sectors for CO2 emissions in China based on eigenvector approaches

China had taken measures to reduce the emissions of CO₂ these years as a staunch supporter of the Paris Agreement. However, it is not such an easy task for the authority to decide which sectors should take responsibility on the process of CO₂ emissions reduction in the context of highly connected supply chains. Based on the sectoral CO₂ emissions and input-output table of China, this study provided both forward and backward perspectives based on eigenvector approaches to identify the critical sectors that are critical for the CO₂ emissions in value chains, including a backward method called power-of-pull method that identifies the pulling effect of demand side and a forward method called power-of-push method that identifies the pushing power of supply side. The results showed that the electricity and hot water production and supply was the most influential pulling sector in the studying period, followed by the metal mining in the backward direction. In the forward direction, the electricity and hot water production and supply was also the top 1 important sector while coal mining ranked the second. The results suggest that electricity and hot water production and supply played a vital role in the CO₂ emission in the system. During the studied period from 2007 to 2015, the power of nonmetal mining to pull CO₂ emissions showed a notable increase. Our proposed approach could be helpful for policy-making because of its user-friendliness comparing with other method as well as providing a new perspective.

Identifying key sectors based on cascading effect along paths in the embodied CO2 emission flow network in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China

The emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a serious environmental issue, especially in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Unlike previous studies that mainly consider the bilateral and direct connection between two sectors, this study identifies path-based key sectors by considering the cascading effect of a sector on other sectors on paths of the entire economic system. We first construct an embodied CO₂ emission flow network of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, combining environmental input-output analysis and complex network theory. Then, the path-based key sectors are identified by traversing the path of each sector in the network based on cascading failure theory and hypothesis extraction method. On the one hand, the results show that a small number of sectors shoulder a large proportion of the embodied CO₂ emission flows from both path and sector perspectives. On the other hand, we identify some path-based key sectors that did not receive enough attention from the sector perspective. Additionally, the sum of the embodied CO₂ emission flows in about 30 steps accounts for 90% of the total embodied CO₂ emission flows on its supply chain path. To more effectively reduce carbon emission, sectors that connect these 30 steps should be concerned in some policy recommendations. The method proposed in this paper can complement existing methods and contribute to further reducing CO₂ emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.