Economic structural change,renewable energy development,and carbon dioxide emissions in China

As the world’s largest emitter, China’s reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is crucial for the achievement of global temperature rise goals. In this paper, we employed input-output structural decomposition analysis and index decomposition analysis to assess the factors driving changes in China’s CO2 emissions from 2000 to 2018, with particular attention to the role of renewable energy development. Our results indicate that the slowdown of economic growth and rapid structural change, rather than the shifting fuel mix, were the major forces driving China’s recent slowdown of CO2 emissions ever since 2011. Despite the great importance attached to renewable energy development, non-hydro renewable has played negligible role in reducing China’s CO2 emissions. This suggests that China cannot simply rely on the large-scale development of renewable energies to achieve its Paris 2015 target and must make further drastic cuts that will help keep global temperature rise well below 2 °C above pre-industrial level. Major breakthroughs in scalable low carbon energy sources and technologies will be required, especially in the developing world.

     

Cleaner production and eco-efficiency initiatives in Western Australia 1996–2004

This paper summarises developments in the promotion and implementation of cleaner production (CP) and eco-efficiency (EE) in Western Australia (WA), in four stages: groundwork (1996–1999), experimentation (1999–2002), roll out (2002–2004) and reorientation (2004 onward). The remoteness of WA and the dominance of the minerals, energy and agribusiness industries, contributed to the late interest in CP and relatively slow start. Pioneers in government, industry and academia started to come together in 1998–1999. Subsequent clarification of concepts and design of programs resulted in a two-pronged strategy to create both a supply and demand for CP services. This enabled a rapid increase in interest in CP, which started to level in 2004. Although this is partially due to external circumstances, it also appears that the limits of current CP and EE theory and practice have been reached. These limits appear to be at least two fold. First, current policies and program designs appear not yet able to achieve a step-increase in the number of businesses involved in CP. Insights from innovation and social marketing theory and practice are now being incorporated in the design and delivery of the next generation of CP programs. Second, it appears that mainstream CP tools are insufficiently catered to the technological and organisational complexity of many industries. Greater engineering and management depth in CP tools might be required to mainstream CP in routine process design, continuous improvement and change management practices.     

利用硅灰石原位改善厌氧消化微生物电解池的产气特性

厌氧消化-微生物电解池(Anaerobic digestion-Microbial electrolysis cell,AD-MEC)具有有机物降解速度快、降解率高的优点,但其所产沼气中依然存在CO_2含量较高的问题.为降低AD-MEC所产沼气中CO_2的含量,本研究将矿物碳酸化耦合入AD-MEC中,研究添加硅灰石对AD-MEC中CO_2的固定效果.实验结果表明,添加硅灰石可使AD-MEC中CO_2产生量减少40.0%,沼气中CO_2含量从10.0%±1.3%减少到4.5%±1.1%;X射线衍射(XRD)及扫描电镜-能谱(SEM-EDS)分析表明了CaCO_3沉淀的生成,证明硅灰石介导矿物碳酸化固定了AD-MEC中的CO_2.此外,添加硅灰石使Ca~(2+)溶出,缓冲了pH,减轻了厌氧消化产酸阶段对产甲烷菌的抑制,促进了有机物的降解,可溶性化学需氧量(SCOD)去除率提高了11.2%,并使CH_4产量提高18.0%,CH_4产率达到305 mL·g~(-1),沼气中CH_4含量达到95.5%±1.2%.硅灰石的添加实现了AD-MEC中CO_2的原位捕获,同时增益了厌氧消化效果,提高了甲烷产量.     

中国森林碳汇潜力与增汇成本评估——基于Meta分析方法

准确评估中国森林碳汇潜力与增汇成本的经济可行性,是科学制定碳中和林业行动方案的基础。然而针对中国森林碳汇潜力与增汇成本的不同结果差异明显,可靠性需要进一步验证。为此,基于相关文献,采用Meta分析方法,对中国森林碳汇潜力与增汇成本及其导致差异的原因展开评估。研究表明：(1)中国森林碳汇量呈现不断增长的态势,但不同研究对森林碳汇潜力测度结果存在较大差异。(2)中国森林增汇的平均成本为220.45元/t CO_2e(区间值为3.9～1457.02元/t CO_2e),与工业减排成本相比,中国森林增汇更具有经济可行性,但波动幅度较大。(3)评估方法采用、碳库数量选择等因素是导致已有森林碳汇潜力文献估计结果差异的关键因素;森林增汇成本差异则主要受碳汇成本测度研究方法、成本收益数据来源等因素影响。(4)中国森林增汇对碳中和的贡献将会持续增加。基于研究结果,提出进一步深化森林碳汇潜力与成本测算相关研究等方面的政策建议。     

Assessment of cleaner production uptake: method development and trial with small businesses in Western Australia

This paper reports on the development of an innovative semi-quantitative assessment method to estimate the level of uptake of cleaner production (CP) in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the basis of three component ratings: awareness of CP ideas and benefits; presence of management features and/or system components conducive to CP; and CP content of recent innovations and operational improvements. The assessment method was designed for application through a telephone survey and was deliberately structured to minimise intentional socially preferable responses. It was trialled on 140 SMEs in four sectors, mostly from Western Australia: printing and book making; dry-cleaning; food processing and metal products. The trial showed that the assessment tool can judge the business’ capacity to implement CP. The levels of CP uptake found in the trial reflect well on the experience of CP practitioners, albeit much lower than reported from previous mail surveys. In the trial the drycleaners performed significantly better than the other businesses, with food processing, metal processing and printing businesses being ranked second, third, and fourth respectively. The higher uptake by drycleaners was expected given that a sector specific CP program was conducted in that sector. Overall, the results suggest that generic (non-industry specific) semi-quantitative proxy indicators can be used for estimating the level of CP uptake in SMEs. Although further verification with quantitative environmental and economic performance data would in principle be desirable, this would be impractical due to the general lack of monitoring and recordkeeping of environmental data in many SMEs, and would also face the common conceptual, methodological and fundamental challenges for CP quantification. The tool may therefore be more useful to target CP promotion efforts, and measure their effectiveness.     

碳税对我国宏观经济及可再生能源发电技术的影响——基于电力部门细分的CGE模型

本文基于电力行业上市公司年报数据将传统CGE模型中的电力部门细分为7个发电部门,其中包含水电、风电、光伏和生物质电4个可再生能源发电部门.首先基于传统CGE模型和电力部门细分的CGE模型比较了我国引入可再生能源发电技术前后征收碳税对宏观经济的影响,然后分析了单一碳税政策、碳税与可再生能源发电补贴复合政策对可再生能源发电技术发展的影响.研究发现：引入可再生能源发电技术后,征收碳税对宏观经济的负面影响相比没有引入而言将有所降低;征收碳税将促进可再生能源发电技术的发展;在征收碳税的同时如果对特定可再生能源发电技术给予补贴,可能会对未受到补贴且不具备成本比较优势的可再生能源发电技术产生“挤出效应”.     

Farm soil carbon monitoring developments and land use change: unearthing relationships between paddock carbon stocks, monitoring technology and new market options in Western Australia

This research provides a synthesis of soil organic carbon (SOC) densities in a range of Australian soils and land use types to decrease uncertainties in agricultural soil carbon (C) sequestration investments. This work provides information on existing Australian C soil stocks, the relationships between SOC with various agricultural and forestry land use changes, and options available for agriculturalists to cultivate and safeguard their C stocks. This work also includes recent developments in C rights, soil C monitoring, and verification technologies and procedures now in use for C stock inventories. This review has a special focus on known changes in SOC stocks, technological and methodological developments in the agricultural region of southern Western Australia (WA).     

Organic carbon stock in topsoil of Jiangsu Province, China, and the recent trend of carbon sequestration

Data collection of soil organic carbon(SOC) of 154 soil series of Jiangsu, China from the second provincial soil survey and of recent changes in SOC from a number of field pilot experiments across the province were collected. Statistical analysis of SOC contents and soil properties related to organic carbon storage were performed. The provincial total topsoil SOC stock was estimated to be O. 1 Pg with an extended pool of 0.4 Pg taking soil depth of 1 m, being relatively small compared to its total land area of lOl?00 km^2. One quarter of this topsoil stock was found in the soils of the Taihu Lake region that occupied 1/6 of the provincial arable area. Paddy soils accounted for over 50% of this stock in terms of SOC distribution among the soil types in the province. Experimental data from experimental farms widely distributed in the province showed that SOC storage increased consistently over the last 20 years despite a previously reported decreasing tendency during the period between 1950--1970. The evidence indicated that agricultural management practices such as irrigation, straw return and rotation of upland crops with rice or wheat crops contributed significantly to the increase in SOC storage. The annual carbon sequestration rate in the soils was in the range of 0.3-3.5 tC/(hm^2. a), depending on cropping systems and other agricultural practices. Thus, the agricultural production in the province, despite the high input, could serve as one of the practical methods to mitigate the increasing air CO2.     

From cleaner production to sustainable production and consumption in Australia and New Zealand: achievements,challenges, and opportunities

The objective of this special issue is to showcase what Cleaner Production (CP) practitioners and scholars in Australia and New Zealand have accomplished to date, and how they hope to progress in the coming decades. The contributions to this special issue have been grouped under three main categories: sectoral, regional, and CP methods and tools. These contributions suggest that the CP debate has moved on from anecdotal justification of CP through case studies to diffusing and broadening CP practices so that they fulfil their role as effective components of a viable, sustainable society. The continued evolution of CP methods and tools in Australia and New Zealand is a good indicator of such a trend. Papers in all three categories identify and present responses to the challenges faced in ensuring that CP activities are both linked to and informed by policy-making and that they support and enhance decisions made in pursuit of sustainable production.     

“双碳”背景下中国能源消费碳排放与植被固碳的时空分异

为理解中国能源消费碳排放(ERCE)与植被固碳(VCS)的演变特征及空间差异,基于气象数据、遥感数据、土地覆盖数据及统计资料等,分别在全国尺度、省域尺度和县域尺度上,定量分析2000~2017年我国ERCE和VCS的动态变化与空间分异格局,并利用碳压力指数(CPI),表征二者之间的相互关系.结果表明:(1)我国ERCE和人均ERCE在2000~2017年间表现出显著增加趋势(P<0.01),但二者分别在2013年和2012年以后出现小幅下降;空间上,二者呈现出“北高南低、东高西低”的差异特征;(2)VCS和人均VCS均在2010年以后呈现快速增加趋势(P<0.01),幅度分别为148.09×10⁶t/a和0.04t/(人·a),东北、西南和黄土高原等区域VCS和人均VCS的增加幅度明显高于其他地区;(3)全国约有近1/3的省份CPI多年平均值在1以上(即ERCE高于VCS),其中上海、天津、江苏、山东、宁夏的CPI平均值较高,且增幅也相对较大,反映出这些区域具有较大的减排压力.研究结果可为我国不同区域碳减排政策的制定提供科学依据.     

碳排放约束下的农业生产效率及其空间格局——基于河南省65个村庄的调查

基于村庄尺度探索碳排放约束下的农业生产效率,对于差别化的低碳农业生产模式的选择具有一定的理论和实践意义。基于河南省65个村庄的调查数据,对不同样点的农业碳排放进行了核算,并采用Super-SBM模型分析了碳排放约束下的农业生产效率的差异。结果表明：河南省农业碳排放强度呈现“南北高,中间低”的空间分布格局,这主要受种植结构、农业生产条件、人类各项投入等因素的影响;碳排放约束下的河南省农业生产效率具有较大的空间差异,根据农业生产效率和碳排放强度的关系,可将样点村庄分为低碳高效村、高碳低效村、高碳高效村和低碳低效村四种类型。其中高碳低效村和低碳低效村的比例较大。建议未来应加强农业规模化经营、减少能源和物资投入、完善农业基础设施、推广节水节能新技术,在提高农业生产效率的同时推动农业低碳发展。     

Variation of soil fertility and carbon sequestration by planting Hevea brasiliensis in Hainan Island, China

The development of rubber industry depends on the sustainable management of rubber plantation. To evaluate the environmental effects of planting Hevea brasiliensis on a subsystem of tropical forest ecosystem, the variation of soil fertility and carbon sequestration under rubber plantation within 30-year life period were investigated in Hainan Island. Results showed that （1） with the increase of stand age of rubber plantation, soil fertility decreased all along. From 1954 to 1995, soil organic matter, total N, available K and available P decreased by 48.2%, 54.1%, 56.7% and 64.1%, respectively. （2） If the complete return of litters was considered without additional fertilizer application to the soil of the rubber plantations, the consumption periods for P, N, K, Mg were only 825 years, 329 years, 94 years and 65 years, respectively~ To improve soil fertility is essential for rubber plantation development. （3） The C sequestration of rubber trees per hectare accounts for 272.08 t within 30-year life period and 57.91% of them was fixed in litters. In comparison with C sequestration by rain forest （234.305 t/hm^2） and by secondary rain forest （150.203 t/hm^2）, rubber forest has more potentials for C fixation. On the base of above results, the following measures would benefit the maintenance of soil fertility and the development of rubber industry, including applying fertilizer to maintain the balance of soil nutrients, intercropping leguminous plant to improve soil fertility, reducing the collection of litters, optimizing soil properties to improve element P availability such as applying CaCO3. The information gathered from the study can be used as baseline data for the sustainable management of rubber plantation elsewhere.     

Analysis of leakage in carbon sequestration projects in forestry: a case study of upper magat watershed,Philippines

The role of forestry projects in carbon conservation and sequestration is receiving much attention because of their role in the mitigation of climate change. The main objective of the study is to analyze the potential of the Upper Magat Watershed for a carbon sequestration project. The three main development components of the project are forest conservation: tree plantations, and agroforestry farm development. At Year 30, the watershed can attain a net carbon benefit of 19.5 M tC at a cost of US$ 34.5 M. The potential leakage of the project is estimated using historical experience in technology adoption in watershed areas in the Philippines and a high adoption rate. Two leakage scenarios were used: baseline and project leakage scenarios. Most of the leakage occurs in the first 10 years of the project as displacement of livelihood occurs during this time. The carbon lost via leakage is estimated to be 3.7 M tC in the historical adoption scenario, and 8.1 M tC under the enhanced adoption scenario.     

Biodiversity,carbon stocks and sequestration potential in aboveground biomass in smallholder farming systems of western Kenya

While Carbon (C) sequestration on farmlands may contribute to mitigate CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere, greater agro-biodiversity may ensure longer term stability of C storage in fluctuating environments. This study was conducted in the highlands of western Kenya, a region with high potential for agroforestry, with the objectives of assessing current biodiversity and aboveground C stocks in perennial vegetation growing on farmland, and estimating C sequestration potential in aboveground C pools. Allometric models were developed to estimate aboveground biomass of trees and hedgerows, and an inventory of perennial vegetation was conducted in 35 farms in Vihiga and Siaya districts. Values of the Shannon index (H), used to evaluate biodiversity, ranged from 0.01 in woodlots through 0.4–0.6 in food crop plots, to 1.3–1.6 in homegardens. Eucalyptus saligna was the most frequent tree species found as individual trees (20%), in windrows (47%), and in woodlots (99%) in Vihiga and the most frequent in woodlots (96%) in Siaya. Trees represented the most important C pool in aboveground biomass of perennial plants growing on-farm, contributing to 81 and 55% of total aboveground farm C in Vihiga and Siaya, respectively, followed by hedgerows (13 and 39%, respectively) and permanent crop stands (5 and 6%, respectively). Most of the tree C was located in woodlots in Vihiga (61%) and in individual trees growing in or around food crop plots in Siaya (57%). The homegardens represented the second C pool in importance, with 25 and 33% of C stocks in Vihiga and Siaya, respectively. Considering the mean total aboveground C stocks observed, and taking the average farm sizes of Vihiga (0.6 ha) and Siaya (1.4 ha), an average farm would store 6.5 ± 0.1 Mg C farm^?1 in Vihiga and 12.4 ± 0.1 Mg C farm^?1 in Siaya. At both sites, the C sequestration potential in perennial aboveground biomass was estimated at ca. 16 Mg C ha^?1. With the current market price for carbon, the implementation of Clean Development Mechanism Afforestation/Reforestation (CDM A/R) projects seems unfeasible, due to the large number of small farms (between 140 and 300) necessary to achieve a critical land area able to compensate the concomitant minimum transaction costs. Higher financial compensation for C sequestration projects that encourage biodiversity would allow clearer win–win scenarios for smallholder farmers. Thus, a better valuation of ecosystem services should encourage C sequestration together with on-farm biodiversity when promoting CDM A/R projects.     

Energy and environmental attitudes in the green state of Denmark: Implications for energy democracy,low carbon transitions,and energy literacy

This article investigates how a mix of energy-users from Denmark perceives energy and environmental issues such as the affordability of electricity and gasoline, the seriousness of climate change, and preferences for different energy systems. Its primary source of data is a pilot survey and energy literacy test distributed in English and Danish to 328 respondents spread across the country. The survey results are used to test four propositions about energy prices, being “green,” public knowledge and competence about energy issues, and self-sufficiency and sustainable technology. The data supports the propositions that Danes identify with “being green” and prefer national and local policies that endorse sustainable technology and being self-sufficient. However, the data also challenges the propositions that Danes would prioritize low energy prices and affordability as key energy concerns and that they are knowledgeable about energy and environmental issues. In this way, a problematic gap may exist between what many academic articles (and previous surveys) report Danish attitudes to be and what this study suggests they are. Given Denmark's ambitious low-carbon goals, these findings have clear relevance to other communities and countries seeking to decarbonize their own energy sectors.     

Correlation between petrol lead additive consumption and atmospheric lead concentrations in Perth,Western Australia

The impact of unleaded petrol (ULP), and the variation in lead (Pb) content of leaded petrol (LP), on air quality in Perth, Western Australia, has been assessed using correlations between atmospheric Pb concentrations and petrol Pb consumption figures for the period 1982–1987 during which ULP was introduced in 1985. The study underlines the importance of taking into account the variability in the Pb content of LP when predicting atmospheric lead concentrations from petrol consumption data.     

Awareness and adoption of cleaner production in small to medium-sized businesses in the Geelong region,Victoria, Australia

A survey was undertaken (August through November, 1998) to determine the extent of the awareness and implementation of cleaner production practices within small to medium-sized businesses in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia. Information was also gleaned on improvements/benefits gained from the adoption of such practices, reasons for adopting or not adopting cleaner production methods and utilization of educational and assistance schemes. We conclude that the adoption of cleaner production by such businesses is still at a very early stage with much work to be done to raise levels of awareness and to convince these businesses of the potential benefits of cleaner production.     

Hybrid microalgal biofuel, desalination, and solution mining systems: increased industrial waste energy, carbon, and water use efficiencies

This work reviews retrofitting new waste energy, carbon and water intensive technologies into existing industrial facilities (including electricity generators) to increase net energy, carbon, and water use efficiencies. The three applications reviewed are microalgal ponds consuming flue gasses and providing thermal power station cooling services, thermally driven membrane distillation desalination, and hydrometallurgical solution mining processes to indirectly remove water contaminants, and additional power station cooling. The aim of this work is to explore the unique challenge of site-specificity of retrofitting any or all of the reviewed technologies within existing facilities for commercial operations. The theoretical basis behind higher aggregated efficiencies is essentially vertical integration of infrastructure, energy, and material flows, reducing total costs, net waste, and associated potential environmental contamination. Whilst solution mining and some thermal desalination technologies are not necessarily new in isolation, new technical developments enable these technologies to use waste heat and waste water by operating in parallel with industrial facilities, and effectively subsidise microalgae biofuel water pumping and dewatering. This research determines three fundamental developments are required to enable wide-scale industrial co-located vertical integration efficiencies: (1) fundamental engineering, (2) monitoring system innovation, and (3) technology/knowledge transfer.     

Photochemical production of carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide and dimethyl sulfide in a lake water

Photochemical production of carbonyl sulfide(COS),carbon disulfide(CS_2) and dimethyl sulfide(DMS) was intensively studied in the water from the Aohai Lake of Beijing city.The lake water was found to be highly supersaturated with COS,CS_2 and DMS,with their initial concentrations of 0.91 ± 0.073 nmol/L,0.55 ± 0.071 nmol/L and 0.37 ± 0.062 nmol/L,respectively.The evident photochemical production of COS and CS_2 in the lake water under irradiation of 365 nm and 302 nm indicated that photochemical production of them might be the reason for their supersaturation.The similar dependence of wavelength and oxygen for photochemical production of COS,CS_2 and DMS implied that they might be from the same precursors.The water cage effect was found to favor COS production but inhibit CS_2and DMS formation,indicating that COS photochemical production was mainly from direct degradation of the precursors and the formation of CS_2 and DMS needed intermediates via combination of carbon-centered radicals and sulfur-centered radicals.The above assumptions were further confirmed by simulation experiments with addition of carbonyls and amino acids(cysteine and methionine),and the photochemical formation mechanisms for COS,CS_2 and DMS in water were derived from the investigations.