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A cost-effective climate mitigation pathway for China with co-benefits for sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Meiqian Chen

    (Sichuan University)

  • Lei Gao

    (Waite Campus)

  • Zhaoxia Guo

    (Sichuan University)

  • Yucheng Dong

    (Sichuan University)

  • Enayat A. Moallemi

    (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO))

  • Yinfeng Xu

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Ke Li

    (Sichuan University)

  • Wenhao Lin

    (Sichuan University)

  • Jing Yang

    (Sichuan University)

  • Weijun Xu

    (South China University of Technology)

  • Matteo Pedercini

    (Millennium Institute)

  • Brett A. Bryan

    (Deakin University)

Abstract

Climate mitigation policies have broad environmental and socioeconomic impacts and thus underpin progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through national-scale integrated modeling, we explore the spillover effects of China’s long-term climate mitigation pathways (CMPs) on achieving all 17 SDGs, and then identify a cost-effective CMP for China with co-benefits for sustainability. Our analysis indicates that the 9 original CMPs and 180 bundled CMPs can both substantially boost the SDGs, resulting in an increase of 6.33–8.86 and 5.90–9.33 points in overall SDG score (0=no progress, 100=full achievement) by 2060, compared to the Reference pathway of 70.75 points, respectively. The identified cost-effective CMP deals with the trade-offs among sustainability, CO2 emissions and mitigation cost, and maximizes the synergies between them. This CMP can inform future directions for China’s policy-makers to maximize the potential synergies between carbon neutrality and long-term sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Meiqian Chen & Lei Gao & Zhaoxia Guo & Yucheng Dong & Enayat A. Moallemi & Yinfeng Xu & Ke Li & Wenhao Lin & Jing Yang & Weijun Xu & Matteo Pedercini & Brett A. Bryan, 2024. "A cost-effective climate mitigation pathway for China with co-benefits for sustainability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-53912-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53912-z
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