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Substantial differences in source contributions to carbon emissions and health damage necessitate balanced synergistic control plans in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yilin Chen

    (Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Huizhong Shen

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Guofeng Shen

    (Peking University)

  • Jianmin Ma

    (Peking University)

  • Yafang Cheng

    (Max Planck Institute for Chemistry)

  • Armistead G. Russell

    (Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Shunliu Zhao

    (Carleton University)

  • Amir Hakami

    (Carleton University)

  • Shu Tao

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    Peking University)

Abstract

China’s strategy to concurrently address climate change and air pollution mitigation is hindered by a lack of comprehensive information on source contributions to health damage and carbon emissions. Here we show notable discrepancies between source contributions to CO2 emissions and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-related mortality by using adjoint emission sensitivity modeling to attribute premature mortality in 2017 to 53 sector and fuel/process combinations with high spatial resolution. Our findings reveal that monetized PM2.5 health damage exceeds climate impacts in over half of the analyzed subsectors. In addition to coal-fired energy generators and industrial boilers, the combined health and climate costs from energy-intensive processes, diesel-powered vehicles, domestic coal combustion, and agricultural activities exceed 100 billion US dollars, with health-related costs predominating. This research highlights the critical need to integrate the social costs of health damage with climate impacts to develop more balanced mitigation strategies toward these dual goals, particularly during fuel transition and industrial structure upgrading.

Suggested Citation

  • Yilin Chen & Huizhong Shen & Guofeng Shen & Jianmin Ma & Yafang Cheng & Armistead G. Russell & Shunliu Zhao & Amir Hakami & Shu Tao, 2024. "Substantial differences in source contributions to carbon emissions and health damage necessitate balanced synergistic control plans in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-50327-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50327-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pengjun Zhao & Zhaoxiang Li & Zhangyuan He & Yilin Chen & Zuopeng Xiao, 2025. "Reducing the road freight emissions through integrated strategy in the port cities," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.

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