IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v11y2020i1d10.1038_s41467-020-15175-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Saving less in China facilitates global CO2 mitigation

Author

Listed:
  • Chen Lin

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Jianchuan Qi

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Sai Liang

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Cuiyang Feng

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Thomas O. Wiedmann

    (The University of New South Wales)

  • Yihan Liao

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Xuechun Yang

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Yumeng Li

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Zhifu Mi

    (University College London)

  • Zhifeng Yang

    (Beijing Normal University
    Guangdong University of Technology)

Abstract

Transforming China’s economic growth pattern from investment-driven to consumption-driven can significantly change global CO2 emissions. This study is the first to analyse the impacts of changes in China’s saving rates on global CO2 emissions both theoretically and empirically. Here, we show that the increase in the saving rates of Chinese regions has led to increments of global industrial CO2 emissions by 189 million tonnes (Mt) during 2007–2012. A 15-percentage-point decrease in the saving rate of China can lower global CO2 emissions by 186 Mt, or 0.7% of global industrial CO2 emissions. Greener consumption in China can lead to a further 14% reduction in global industrial CO2 emissions. In particular, decreasing the saving rate of Shandong has the most massive potential for global CO2 reductions, while that of Inner Mongolia has adverse effects. Removing economic frictions to allow the production system to fit China’s increased consumption can facilitate global CO2 mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Lin & Jianchuan Qi & Sai Liang & Cuiyang Feng & Thomas O. Wiedmann & Yihan Liao & Xuechun Yang & Yumeng Li & Zhifu Mi & Zhifeng Yang, 2020. "Saving less in China facilitates global CO2 mitigation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15175-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15175-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15175-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-020-15175-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Cheng, Hao-Sen, 2021. "The impact mechanism of the ETS on CO2 emissions from the service sector: Evidence from Beijing and Shanghai," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Bin Wang & Dechun Huang & Chuanhao Fan & Zhencheng Xing, 2021. "Peak of SO 2 Emissions Embodied in International Trade: Patterns, Drivers and Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Abudureheman, Maliyamu & Jiang, Qingzhe & Dong, Xiucheng & Dong, Cong, 2022. "Spatial effects of dynamic comprehensive energy efficiency on CO2 reduction in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    4. Taoyuan Wei & Xue Wang, 2020. "Rebound Effect from Income Savings Due to an Energy Efficiency Improvement by Households: An Input–Output Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-10, August.
    5. Feng, Cuiyang & Dong, Liyan & Adbiat, Muhsen & Xu, Lixiao & Yu, Ao, 2023. "Critical transmission sectors in China's energy supply chains," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15175-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.