Uncovering the coupling effect with energy-related carbon emissions and human development variety in Chinese provinces.

Lessening energy-related carbon emissions has become a crucial measure to achieve Chinese carbon neutrality. This study is the first to construct a Difference in Carbon pressures-adjusted Human Development Index (DCHDI) model for the purpose of exploring the coupling effect between carbon emissions and human development variety from 2000 to 2019 in Chinese provinces. We demonstrate the following. (1) The total energy-related carbon footprint of 30 provinces in China reached 10.2 billion tons in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 6.93% over the past two decades; and the provinces with the highest carbon emissions per capita are InnerMongolia, Ningxia, and Shanxi. (2) At the provincial level, we observed that the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes life expectancy, education, and income, has been rising, while Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin entered the super-high HDI level before 2008. (3) The entire coupling effect of 30 Chinese provinces has been broadly fortified in the last 20 years, but the growth rate of DCHDI values in 2011-2019 has slowed down compared with that in 2000-2010; the clustering phenomenon demonstrated that this discovery is associated with historical peaks in total carbon emissions. (4) The coordination degree of carbon emissions per capita and HDI was verified, and 96% of the data points were found in the range of super high coupling coordination degree. Overall, this study provides the government with worthwhile guidance for decision-making and carbon reduction strategies for other countries struggling to advance human sustainable development.

Single-use plastic bag alternatives result in higher environmental impacts: Multi-regional analysis in country with uneven waste management.

Single-use plastics (SUPs) have been the focus of plastic pollution control, and limiting their use while shifting to other alternatives have been widely promoted in various countries. This study tries to verify the life cycle environmental performances of single-use plastic bag and its alternatives under different scenarios in real world. China is chosen as case study, where provincial variability is prominent in waste disposal, and strictest plastics ban has issued lately in this worldwide biggest market. The study found that HDPE plastic bags have relatively lowest environmental footprints regarding to Acidification Potential, Global Warming Potential, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Eutrophication Potential, Fossil Fuel Depletion Potential and Water Use. Sticking to current waste treatment, large-scale promotion of degradable products will increase environmental impacts by 1.4-22.6 times nationwide. Xinjiang has highest impact of using plastic bag at household level, due to its long-distance transport and high landfill ratio. Henan and Hebei will trigger the most significant changes in Global Warming Potential of 4.6 and 4.4 times if single-use plastic bags are all replaced with other alternatives. Uncertainty and sensitivity test further prove the robustness of results, and extends geographical implications of the findings. These suggest that introduction of new alternatives requires systematic deployment with full life cycle thinking, and SUPs pollution control should be a holistic transformation. Reducing bag weight while ensuring carrying capacity, purchasing local products to shorten transportation distances and shifting towards cleaner energy sources are synergetic ways to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastic products.

Green transformation strategy of pallet logistics in China based on the life cycle analysis.

The Anthropocene is a new geologic epoch defined by the significant impact of human activity on the planet. Industrialisation and population growth have altered the natural environment. The logistics industry, which facilitates economic development and enhances human well-being, relies on logistic carriers as essential equipment. Pallets, the most representative tools of logistic carriers, transport more than 80 % of the world's trade. The conventional pallet market structure is largely determined by economic and convenience factors, but in light of the global environmental changes, the leading users of pallet products have raised their environmental standards, making environmental performance a key factor in the pallet industry. While China is the second largest pallet holder and accounts for 25 % of the global pallet holdings, it lacks an in-depth understanding on the pallet market structure, the environmental effects, and the barriers for developing pallet sharing system in China. This study conducts comprehensive field studies to reveal the pallet market structure in China, applies life cycle assessment to present a cradle to grave environmental evaluation of the five widely-used pallet material types that account for 99 % of market share, and compare various end-of-life treatment methods using scenario analysis. Results show that the current market structure does not align with the optimal environmental outcomes, but would be improved by establishing the circulation-sharing system. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the pallet industry to undergo a green transition. The focus for developing a sharing system should be on engaging the leading user enterprises in the supply chain, rather than merely relying on the pallet manufacturers who have limited bargaining power. Additionally, the environmental impacts can be reduced by 20 % to 300 % via choosing the appropriate end-of-life treatment method for each pallet material type.