Evolution of the life cycle primary PM2.5 emissions in globalized production systems

Haoran Zhang; Ruixiong Li; Bin Chen; Huiming Lin; Qianru Zhang; Maodian Liu; Long Chen; Xuejun Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.104996

Evolution of the life cycle primary PM_2.5 emissions in globalized production systems

Environ Int. 2019 Oct:131:104996. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.104996. Epub 2019 Jul 29.

Authors

Haoran Zhang¹, Ruixiong Li², Bin Chen³, Huiming Lin¹, Qianru Zhang¹, Maodian Liu¹, Long Chen⁴, Xuejun Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
² School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, China.
³ Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Sustainability Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science (Ministry of Education), East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
⁵ Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: xjwang@urban.pku.edu.cn.

PMID: 31369980
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.104996

Abstract

Production system-related air pollution emissions are dominant components in global emission reduction targets and in realizing relevant sustainable development goals (SDGs). To better understand the air pollution emissions induced by globalized production systems through a life cycle perspective, environmental extended multiregional input-output (EE-MRIO) analysis was applied to calculate the primary product-based emissions and the final product-based emissions embodied in the global production systems. Combined with two types of linkage analysis, named the hypothetical extraction method (HEM) and the emissions pure backward linkage (EPBL), emissions were analysed at three scopes at the sector level from macro sector linkage perspectives. An illustrative analysis was presented based on the global EXIOBASE MRIO database and primary PM_2.5 emissions from 1995 to 2011. The results show that from 1995 to 2011, the primary PM_2.5 emissions in the global production systems increased by 35%. In 2011, China's production system generated the highest primary product-based and final product-based primary PM_2.5 emissions, which accounted for 30.7% and 29.6% of the global total, respectively. The emission flows balance between primary product-based emissions and final product-based emissions revealed that most developing countries are sources of emissions and that developed countries are sinks of emissions in production systems. An approximately U-shaped relationship was found in the primary PM_2.5 emissions embodied in final products, while the opposite relationship was found embodied in primary products. Meanwhile, sector-specific protocols for controlling the high indirect emissions sectors can make the supply chain cleaner. Our findings further indicated that focusing more on industries can help relevant emissions control policymaking processes.

Keywords: Emissions pure backward linkage; Final products-based emission; Globalized production system; Hypothetical extraction method; Macro-life cycle.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / analysis*
Air Pollution / analysis
Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data
China
Environmental Monitoring*
Industry
Internationality
Particulate Matter / analysis*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter