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Spatial and temporal flows of China's forest resources: Development of a framework for evaluating resource efficiency

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  • Cheng, Shengkui
  • Xu, Zengrang
  • Su, Yun
  • Zhen, Lin

Abstract

Population growth and resource scarcity have remained major constraints on China's development for several decades. Under conditions of resource limitations, utilization efficiency is a key concern for Chinese scientists and decision-makers. Based on forest production and trade data for China, we present a conceptual framework for resource flow analysis, calculate the quantities and analyze the characteristics of flows of forest resources (primarily wood and wood byproducts) during the critical early economic development of China (from 1953 to 2000) by converting the forest resource flows into log equivalents (i.e., the quantity of logs required to generate a unit of each type of product). The consumption of forest resources has accelerated throughout the study period, and the structure and efficiency of forest resource utilization have both improved. The proportion of forest resource flows obtained from outside China has increased, and most of this wood was consumed by wood-processing industries. Over time, consumption has shifted from logs and lumber to the pulp and paper and artificial board industries. To improve the economics and sustainability of its use of forest resources, China should increase consumption of forest resources by its pulp and paper industry, more fully utilize forest resources obtained from outside China, and weaken the dependence on these foreign forest resources by promoting increased utilization efficiency and structural readjustment of the forest industry. Therefore, improved forest management is an effective mean of weakening the dependence on foreign forest resources.

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  • Cheng, Shengkui & Xu, Zengrang & Su, Yun & Zhen, Lin, 2010. "Spatial and temporal flows of China's forest resources: Development of a framework for evaluating resource efficiency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 1405-1415, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:69:y:2010:i:7:p:1405-1415
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    1. Taulo, J.L. & Sebitosi, A.B., 2016. "Material and energy flow analysis of the Malawian tea industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1337-1350.
    2. Lin, Benxi & Du, Ruiying & Dong, Zekuan & Jin, Shaosheng & Liu, Weipin, 2020. "The impact of foreign direct investment on the productivity of the Chinese forest products industry," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    3. Jianguo Liu, 2014. "Forest Sustainability in China and Implications for a Telecoupled World," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(1), pages 230-250, January.
    4. Zhang, Ying & Chen, Shuai, 2021. "Wood trade responses to ecological rehabilitation program: Evidence from China's new logging ban in natural forests," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    5. Chen, Jiandong & Wu, Yinyin & Song, Malin & Zhu, Zunhong, 2017. "Stochastic frontier analysis of productive efficiency in China's Forestry Industry," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 87-95.
    6. Courtonne, Jean-Yves & Alapetite, Julien & Longaretti, Pierre-Yves & Dupré, Denis & Prados, Emmanuel, 2015. "Downscaling material flow analysis: The case of the cereal supply chain in France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 67-80.
    7. Jean-Yves Courtonne & Julien Alapetite & Pierre-Yves Longaretti & Denis Dupré & Emmanuel Prados, 2015. "Downscaling material flow analysis: the case of the cereals supply chain in France," Working Papers hal-01142357, HAL.

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