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Spatial and Temporal Variations of Embodied Carbon Emissions in China’s Infrastructure

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  • Jing Bai

    (Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Jiansheng Qu

    (Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
    Lanzhou Information Center/Information Center for Global Change Studies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730030, China)

  • Tek Narayan Maraseni

    (Institute for Agriculture and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia)

  • Jinjia Wu

    (Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Li Xu

    (Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Yujie Fan

    (Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems (Ministry of Education), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China)

Abstract

The swift evolution of urbanization in China has led to a rapid increase in the demand for infrastructure. Infrastructure consumes significant amounts of construction materials. The production, packaging, transportation and use of these materials require energy and, therefore, are a source of carbon emissions. In order to make the construction of infrastructure satisfy people’s life demands and economic development, and at the same time conform to low carbon ideas, it is necessary to understand the spatial and temporal variations of embodied carbon emissions and its regional disparity. This study classifies and sorts the calculation parameters of infrastructure material stock and embodied carbon emissions. It estimates the trends and magnitude of 31 provinces over a period of 20 years (1997–2016) and analyzes the spatial-temporal characteristics. Our results indicate that: (1) The overall infrastructure embodied carbon emissions amount to 32.04 billion tons; (2) the embodied carbon emissions from buildings are far greater than that of transportation infrastructure, however, the annual growth rate is contrary to this; (3) the spatial and temporal variations show regional inequality, with the eastern coastal area being higher than the central and western inland areas and the economically developed areas being higher than the less developed areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Bai & Jiansheng Qu & Tek Narayan Maraseni & Jinjia Wu & Li Xu & Yujie Fan, 2019. "Spatial and Temporal Variations of Embodied Carbon Emissions in China’s Infrastructure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:749-:d:202381
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Federici, M. & Ulgiati, S. & Basosi, R., 2008. "A thermodynamic, environmental and material flow analysis of the Italian highway and railway transport systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 760-775.
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    2. Virág, Doris & Wiedenhofer, Dominik & Baumgart, André & Matej, Sarah & Krausmann, Fridolin & Min, Jihoon & Rao, Narasimha D. & Haberl, Helmut, 2022. "How much infrastructure is required to support decent mobility for all? An exploratory assessment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    3. Xiaodong Hu & Ximing Zhang & Lei Dong & Hujun Li & Zheng He & Huihua Chen, 2022. "Carbon Emission Factors Identification and Measurement Model Construction for Railway Construction Projects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-20, September.
    4. Li Shi Yu & Ao Xiangyuan & Ong Tze San & Chen Anqi & Zhang Mengdie, 2022. "Can Companies Make Green Innovation a Reality by Means of Corporate Environmental Responsibility? The Mediating Role of Environmental Subsidies," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(6), pages 350-356, November.
    5. Li Huang & Scott Kelly & Xuan Lu & Kangjuan Lv & Xunpeng Shi & Damien Giurco, 2019. "Carbon Communities and Hotspots for Carbon Emissions Reduction in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-29, October.
    6. Xinsheng Zhou & Qinyang Guo & Yuanyuan Wang & Guofeng Wang, 2022. "Trade and Embodied CO 2 Emissions: Analysis from a Global Input–Output Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-18, November.

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