Accounting greenhouse gas emissions of food consumption between urban and rural residents in China: a whole production perspective

doi:10.1007/s11708-021-0763-y

Frontiers in Energy

2022, Vol. 16

Issue (2): 357-374 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-021-0763-y

本期目录

Accounting greenhouse gas emissions of food consumption between urban and rural residents in China: a whole production perspective

Yanfeng XU¹, Yong GENG²(

), Ziyan GAO³, Shijiang XIAO³, Chenyi ZHANG⁴, Mufan ZHUANG⁴

¹. China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
². School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
³. School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
⁴. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

全文: PDF(1252 KB) HTML

Abstract：

Food consumption is necessary for human survival. On a global scale, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission related to food consumption accounts for 19%–29% of the total GHG emission. China has the largest population in the world, which is experiencing a rapid development. Under the background of urbanization and the adjustment of the diet structure of Chinese residents, it is critical to mitigate the overall GHG emission caused by food consumption. This study aims to employ a single-region input-output (SRIO) model and a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to measure GHG emission generated from food consumption in China and compare the contributions of different industrial sectors, uncovering the differences between urban and rural residents and among different provinces (autonomous regions/municipalities), as well as identifying the driving forces of GHG emission from food consumption at a national level. The results indicate that the total GHG emission generated from food consumption in China tripled from 157 Mt CO₂e in 2002 to 452 Mt CO₂e in 2017. The fastest growing GHG emission is from the consumption of other processed food and meat products. Although GHG emissions from both urban and rural residents increased, the gap between them is increasing. Agriculture, processing and manufacture of food, manufacture of chemical and transportation, storage and post services sectors are key sectors inducing food consumption related GHG emissions. From a regional perspective, the top five emission provinces (autonomous regions/municipalities) include Shandong, Hubei, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu. Based on such results, policy recommendations are proposed to mitigate the overall GHG emission from food consumption.

Key words： greenhouse gas (GHG) emission food consumption industry sectors mitigation measures urban governance

收稿日期: 2021-01-09 出版日期: 2022-05-25

Corresponding Author(s): Yong GENG

引用本文:

. [J]. Frontiers in Energy, 2022, 16(2): 357-374.
Yanfeng XU, Yong GENG, Ziyan GAO, Shijiang XIAO, Chenyi ZHANG, Mufan ZHUANG. Accounting greenhouse gas emissions of food consumption between urban and rural residents in China: a whole production perspective. Front. Energy, 2022, 16(2): 357-374.

链接本文:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/CN/10.1007/s11708-021-0763-y
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/CN/Y2022/V16/I2/357

Tab.1

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig.3

Fig.4

No.	Aggregated sector	Sector	Name abbreviation
1	Agriculture	Farming, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, agricultural services	AGR
2	Processing of food from agric. product and manufacture of foods		FAMF
3	Manufacture of alcohol, beverages, and refined tea		ABT
4	Manufacture of tobacco		MTO
5	Manufacture if textiles		MTE
6	Manufacture of textiles, clothing; apparel industry		MTCA
7	Manufacture of leather, fur, feather and related products; footwear industry		MLFF
8	Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products		MNM
9	Production and distribution of tap water		PDTW
10	Production and distribution of electric power and heat power		PDEH
11	Production and distribution of gas		PDG
12	Construction	Construction of buildings, civil engineering, renovation, decoration	CON
13	Mining and quarrying	Mining and washing of coal, extraction of petroleum and natural gas, mining and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, mining and processing of nonmetal ores, ancillary mining activities, mining of other ores	MAQ
14	Smelting and processing of ferrous metals	Steel, iron castings, rolled steel products, ferroalloy products	SPFM
15	Smelting and processing of non-ferrous metals	Nonferrous metal and alloy, non-ferrous rolled products	SPNM
16	Manufacture of metal products		MP
17	Processing of timber, manufacture of wood, bamboo, rattan, palm, and straw products		TWB
18	Manufacture of furniture		MF
19	Manufacture of rubber and plastics	Manufacture of rubber, manufacture of plastics	MRP
20	Manufacture of electrical machinery and equipment	Manufacture of motor, transmission and distribution equipment, wire, cable, optical cable and electrical equipment, battery, household electric appliances, other electrical machinery and equipment	MEME
21	Manufacture of chemical raw materials and chemical products	Manufacture of basic chemical raw materials, fertilizer, pesticides, coatings, inks, pigments and similar products, special chemical products and explosives, pyrotechnics and fireworks products, daily chemical products	MCC
22	Manufacture of chemical fibers	Manufacture of synthetic material, chemical fiber products	MCF
23	Manufacture of measuring instruments		MMI
24	Processing of petroleum, coking and nuclear fuel		PPCN
25	Transport, storage and postal services	Railway transport, road transport, water transport, air transport, pipeline transport, loading/unloading, removal, and other transport services, storage, postal services	TSPS
26	Information transfer, software and information technology services	Telecommunications, radio, television, and satellite transmission services, internet and related services, software and information technology services	IAT
27	Manufacture of transport equipment	Manufacture of automobiles, railway, ships, aerospace and other transportation equipment	MOTE
28	Manufacture of computers, communication and other electronic equipment	Manufacture of computers, communication equipment, radio and television equipment, radar and supporting equipment, audio visual equipment, electronic components, other electronic equipment	MCCE
29	Manufacture of paper and paper prod		MPP
30	Printing and recorded media		PRM
31	Manufacture of articles for culture, education, art, sports and entertainment		MACE
32	Education		EDU
33	Culture, sports and entertainment	News and publishing, radio, television, film and television recording and production, culture and arts, sports, entertainment	CSE
34	Manufacture of medicines		MM
35	Wholesale, retail trades, accommodation and catering	Wholesale trade, retail trade, accommodation, catering	WRAC
36	Finance	Monetary and financial services, capital markets services, insurance, other financial activities	FIN
37	Real estate		RES
38	Leasing and commercial services	Leasing, commercial services	LCS
39	Manufacture of general-purpose machinery	Manufacture of boiler and prime mover equipment, metalworking machinery, material handling equipment, pumps, valves, compressors and similar machinery, cultural and office machinery, other general equipment	MGM
40	Manufacture of special purpose machinery	Manufacture of mining, metallurgy and construction equipment, chemical, wood and nonmetal processing equipment, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery machinery, other special equipment	MSM
41	Other manufacture		OM
42	Other sectors		OS

Tab.2

Fig.5

Fig.6

Fig.7

Tab.3

Tab.4

1	H Jiang, Y Geng, X Tian, et al. Uncovering CO2 emission drivers under regional industrial transfer in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt: a multi-layer LMDI decomposition analysis. Frontiers in Energy, 2020, online, doi:10.1007/s11708-020-0706-z https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-020-0706-z
2	X Song, Y Geng, K Li, et al. Does environmental infrastructure investment contribute to emissions reduction? A case of China. Frontiers in Energy, 2020, 14(1): 57–70 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-019-0654-7
3	Z Mi, Y Zhang, D Guan, et al. Consumption-based emission accounting for Chinese cities. Applied Energy, 2016, 184: 1073–1081 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.06.094
4	X Zhang, Y Geng, S Shao, et al. How to achieve China’s CO2 emission reduction targets by provincial efforts? An analysis based on generalized Divisia index and dynamic scenario simulation. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2020, 127: 109892 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.109892
5	A Li, B Lin. Comparing climate policies to reduce carbon emissions in China. Energy Policy, 2013, 60: 667–674 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.04.041
6	Q Cao, W Kang, S Xu, et al. Estimation and decomposition analysis of carbon emissions from the entire production cycle for Chinese household consumption. Journal of Environmental Management, 2019, 247: 525–537 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.044
7	Y J Zhang, X J Bian, W Tan, et al. The indirect energy consumption and CO2 emission caused by household consumption in China: an analysis based on the input–output method. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 163: 69–83 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.08.044
8	S Wu, Y Lei, S Li. CO2 emissions from household consumption at the provincial level and interprovincial transfer in China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019, 210: 93–104 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.356
9	X Tian, Y Geng, H Dong, et al. Regional household carbon footprint in China: a case of Liaoning province. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016, 114: 401–411 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.05.097
10	X Tian, Y Geng, H C Dai, et al. The effects of household consumption pattern on regional development: a case study of Shanghai. Energy, 2016, 103: 49–60 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.02.140
11	X Wang, S Chen. Urban-rural carbon footprint disparity across China from essential household expenditure: survey-based analysis, 2010–2014. Journal of Environmental Management, 2020, 267: 110570 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110570
12	S J Vermeulen, B M Campbell, J S I Ingram. Climate change and food systems. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 2012, 37(1): 195–222 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-020411-130608
13	Z Xu, D W Sun, X A Zeng, et al. Research developments in methods to reduce the carbon footprint of the food system: a review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2015, 55(9): 1270–1286 https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2013.821593
14	Y Wu, X Wang, F Lu. The carbon footprint of food consumption in Beijing. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2012, 32(5): 1570–1577 https://doi.org/10.5846/stxb201101140074
15	Z Cao, J Hao, H Xing. Spatial-temporal change of Chinese resident food consumption carbon emissions and its driving mechanism. Progress in Geography, 2020, 39(1): 91–99 https://doi.org/10.18306/dlkxjz.2020.01.009
16	J Zhi, J Gao. Analysis of carbon emission caused by food consumption in urban and rural inhabitants in China. Progress in Geography, 2009, 3: 429–434
17	Q Yue, X Xu, J Hillier, et al. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture: from farm production to food consumption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 149: 1011–1019 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.02.172
18	B Lin, X Xie. CO2 emissions of China’s food industry: an input–output approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016, 112: 1410–1421 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.06.119
19	M Kucukvar, H Samadi. Linking national food production to global supply chain impacts for the energy-climate challenge: the cases of the EU-27 and Turkey. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2015, 108: 395–408 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.08.117
20	W Feng, B Cai, B Zhang. A bite of China: food consumption and carbon emission from 1992 to 2007. China Economic Review, 2020, 59: 100949 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2016.06.007
21	F Song, T Reardon, X Tian, et al. The energy implication of China’s food system transformation. Applied Energy, 2019, 240: 617–629 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.02.069
22	B Su, B W Ang. Structural decomposition analysis applied to energy and emissions: some methodological developments. Energy Economics, 2012, 34(1): 177–188 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2011.10.009
23	X Wang, H Huang, J Hong, et al. A spatiotemporal investigation of energy-driven factors in China: a region-based structural decomposition analysis. Energy, 2020, 207: 118249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.118249
24	M Yu, X Zhao, Y Gao. Factor decomposition of China’s industrial electricity consumption using structural decomposition analysis. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 2019, 51: 67–76 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2019.08.002
25	E Dietzenbacher, V Kulionis, F Capurro. Measuring the effects of energy transition: a structural decomposition analysis of the change in renewable energy use between 2000 and 2014. Applied Energy, 2020, 258: 114040 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114040
26	Y Zhang. Impact of urban and rural household consumption on carbon emissions in China. Economic Systems Research, 2013, 25(3): 287–299 https://doi.org/10.1080/09535314.2012.738188
27	B Su, B W Ang. Multiplicative structural decomposition analysis of aggregate embodied energy and emission intensities. Energy Economics, 2017, 65: 137–147 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2017.05.002
28	Y J Zhang, X J Bian, W Tan, et al. The indirect energy consumption and CO2 emission caused by household consumption in China: an analysis based on the input–output method. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 163: 69–83 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.08.044
29	G X Yu, X Q Wang, H J Wu, et al. Analysis of energy consumption and carbon emission of urban residents in Anhui province. Journal of Anhui University of Science and Technology, 2020, 40: 7 (in Chinese)
30	C Chen. Carbon footprint estimation on food consumption of residences in Lanzhou city. Dissertation for Master’s Degree. Lanzhou: Lanzhou University, 2013
31	L Ding. Research on spatial differences of residents’ food consumption carbon emissions in Guangdong province. Dissertation for Master’s Degree. Guangzhou: Guangzhou University, 2013
32	National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China. General Principles for Calculation of the Comprehensive Energy Consumption. Beijing: China Standards Press, 2008
33	National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China. Guidelines for the preparation of provincial GHG inventories. Beijing, China, 2010 (in Chinese)
34	Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2006
35	Z Gao, Y Geng, R Wu, et al. China’s CO2 emissions embodied in fixed capital formation and its spatial distribution. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 2020, 27(16): 19970–19990 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08491-z
36	G P Peters, E G Hertwich. Pollution embodied in trade: the Norwegian case. Global Environmental Change, 2006, 16(4): 379–387 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.03.001
37	R E Miller, P D Blair. Input-output Analysis: Foundations and Extensions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009
38	United Nations. Handbook of National Accounting: Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting. Studies in Methods, Series F, No 61, New York, 1993, avabilable at the website of unstats.un.org
39	B Su, B W Ang. Input–output analysis of CO2 emissions embodied in trade: competitive versus non-competitive imports. Energy Policy, 2013, 56: 83–87 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.041
40	C L Weber, G P Peters, D Guan, et al. The contribution of Chinese exports to climate change. Energy Policy, 2008, 36(9): 3572–3577 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2008.06.009
41	B Zhang, H Qiao, Z M Chen, et al. Growth in embodied energy transfers via China’s domestic trade: evidence from multi-regional input-output analysis. Applied Energy, 2016, 184: 1093–1105 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.09.076
42	Z Mi, J Meng, D Guan, et al. Chinese CO2 emission flows have reversed since the global financial crisis. Nature Communications, 2017, 8(1): 1712 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01820-w
43	D Guan, G P Peters, C L Weber, et al. Journey to world top emitter: an analysis of the driving forces of China’s recent CO2 emissions surge. Geophysical Research Letters, 2009, 36(4): L04709 https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL036540
44	S Shuang, F F Xiu. Evolution of final demand pattern, changes in industrial structure and CO2 emission in China–based on input-output model and SDA method. Journal of Shanxi Finance and Economics University, 2013, 35: 11 (in Chinese)
45	National Bureau of Statistics of China. Input-Output Table of China 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017. 2017, available at the website of stats.gov.cn
46	National Bureau of Statistics of China. China Energy Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistics Press (in Chinese)
47	Z Fan. Study on the impact of family population on residents’ consumption carbon emissions—analysis of CFPs data. Dissertation for Master’s Degree. Kaifeng: Henan University, 2019
48	W Liu, Z Tang, M Han. The 2012 China Multi-Regional Input-Output Table of 31 Provincial Units. Beijing: China Statistics Press
49	National Bureau of Statistics of China. Industrial classification for national economic activities, 2011, available at the website of stats.gov.cn
50	M Zhuang, Y Geng, H Pan, et al. Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of payments for ecosystem services—a Chinese garlic farm case. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 285: 124866 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124866
51	H Qian. The structural decomposition of income gap sources between urban and rural residents in China. Statistics & Decisions, 2020, 36(20): 76–79
52	Y Geng, T Fujita, A Chiu, et al. Responding to the Paris Climate Agreement: global climate change mitigation efforts. Frontiers in Energy, 2018, 12(3): 333–337 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-018-0587-6
53	W F Deng. Overview of China’s fertilizer industry in 2019. 2020, available at the website of leadleo.com
54	Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China. Action Plan for Zero Growth in Fertilizer Use by 2020. 2015, available at the website of moa.gov.cn
55	B Su, H C Huang, B W Ang, et al. Input–output analysis of CO2 emissions embodied in trade: the effects of sector aggregation. Energy Economics, 2010, 32(1): 166–175 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2009.07.010
56	B Su, B W Ang. Multi-region input–output analysis of CO2 emissions embodied in trade: the feedback effects. Ecological Economics, 2011, 71: 42–53 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.08.024
57	B Kim, R Neff. Measurement and communication of greenhouse gas emissions from US food consumption via carbon calculators. Ecological Economics, 2009, 69(1): 186–196 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.08.017
58	O Albert, T Marianne, L Jonathan, et al. Tracking the carbon emissions of Denmark’s five regions from a producer and consumer perspective. Ecological Economics, 2020, 177: 106778 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106778
59	X Yang, X Jia. Low-carbon economy and low-carbon food. Energy Procedia, 2011, 5: 1099–1103 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.193
60	J Xian, J Bian. China launches clean plate campaign 2.0 as Xi calls for end to food wastage. 2020, available at the website of People’s Daily (in Chinese)
61	W F Zhang, Z X Dou, P He, et al. New technologies reduce greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogenous fertilizer in China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2013, 110(21): 8375–8380 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1210447110
62	R P Zentner, G P Lafond, D A Derksen, et al. Effects of tillage method and crop rotation on non-renewable energy use efficiency for a thin Black Chernozem in the Canadian Prairies. Soil & Tillage Research, 2004, 77(2): 125–136 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2003.11.002
63	A Van Hauwermeiren, H Coene, G Engelen, et al. Energy lifecycle inputs in food systems: a comparison of local versus mainstream cases. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 2007, 9(1): 31–51 https://doi.org/10.1080/15239080701254958
64	J Davis, U Sonesson, D U Baumgartner, et al. Environmental impact of four meals with different protein sources: case studies in Spain and Sweden. Food Research International, 2010, 43(7): 1874–1884 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2009.08.017
65	A D González, B Frostell, A Carlsson-Kanyama. Protein efficiency per unit energy and per unit greenhouse gas emissions: potential contribution of diet choices to climate change mitigation. Food Policy, 2011, 36(5): 562–570 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2011.07.003
66	C L Weber, H S Matthews. Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 2008, 42(10): 3508–3513 https://doi.org/10.1021/es702969f
67	S Ding. The potential of saving food. West China Development, 2013, 03: 52–54 (in Chinese)
68	Liu Y Q. Do you have cleared your plate today? High School Years, 2013, 13: 4–5 (in Chinese)
69	S Ding. What is the potential of saving food? Qiushi, 2013, 05: 23–24 (in Chinese)

Viewed

Full text

Abstract

Cited

Shared

Discussed