IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v26y2024i9d10.1007_s10668-023-03572-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The role of vegetation carbon sequestration in offsetting energy carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Basin, China

Author

Listed:
  • Wenle Yang

    (Northwest Normal University)

  • Jinghu Pan

    (Northwest Normal University)

Abstract

Carbon sequestration in terrestrial vegetation can’t be underestimated in terms of offsetting CO2 emissions from energy consumption. However, it is not clear to what extent terrestrial vegetation can offset energy-related CO2 emissions, and how effective it is to achieve regional carbon neutrality through vegetation carbon sinks. To clarify the offsetting effect of vegetation carbon sink on energy carbon emissions and support the promotion of achieving the goal of carbon neutrality, we selected the Yangtze River basin (YRB) as the research area, and explored the spatial distribution and service coverage of vegetation-energy carbon balance (VECB) in the basin at the grid scale. We also analyzed the ability of vegetation to maintain carbon balance within the basin, and estimated spatial distribution of energy carbon emissions by using nighttime light images and panel data model. Spatial distribution of vegetation carbon sequestration was calculated by using net primary productivity (NPP) and the Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System (IUEMS). Finally, the ability of vegetation to maintain carbon balance was quantified by introducing gas diffusion coefficient. Results showed that, on the whole, energy carbon emissions in YRB are distributed along the main Yangtze River and its main tributaries. Vegetation carbon sink in YRB mainly circulates around the Sichuan Basin and aggregates in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. From 2000 to 2019, VECB in 58% of the basin increased. In 85% of the basin, CO2 generated by energy consumption can be completely offset by vegetation carbon sinks alone. In 2000, 2010 and 2019, the average offset ratio of vegetation to energy carbon emissions in the carbon imbalance region was 51.8%, 40.5% and 39.7%, respectively. The ability of vegetation to maintain carbon balance in YRB decreased gradually from 2000 to 2019. Spatial service range of VECB in YRB decreased gradually in space, with a decrease of 175.22 km from 2000 to 2010 and 22.93 km from 2010 to 2019.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenle Yang & Jinghu Pan, 2024. "The role of vegetation carbon sequestration in offsetting energy carbon emissions in the Yangtze River Basin, China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 22689-22714, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:9:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03572-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03572-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-03572-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-023-03572-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wyrwa, Artur & Suwała, Wojciech & Pluta, Marcin & Raczyński, Maciej & Zyśk, Janusz & Tokarski, Stanisław, 2022. "A new approach for coupling the short- and long-term planning models to design a pathway to carbon neutrality in a coal-based power system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    2. Song, Siming & Li, Tianxiao & Liu, Pei & Li, Zheng, 2022. "The transition pathway of energy supply systems towards carbon neutrality based on a multi-regional energy infrastructure planning approach: A case study of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).
    3. Chen, Jiandong & Xu, Chong & Wang, Yuzhi & Li, Ding & Song, Malin, 2021. "Carbon neutrality based on vegetation carbon sequestration for China's cities and counties: Trend, inequality and driver," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    4. Malte Meinshausen & Nicolai Meinshausen & William Hare & Sarah C. B. Raper & Katja Frieler & Reto Knutti & David J. Frame & Myles R. Allen, 2009. "Greenhouse-gas emission targets for limiting global warming to 2 °C," Nature, Nature, vol. 458(7242), pages 1158-1162, April.
    5. Xin Zhang & Jinghu Pan, 2021. "Spatiotemporal Pattern and Driving Factors of Urban Sprawl in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-16, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhao, Jincai & Ji, Guangxing & Yue, YanLin & Lai, Zhizhu & Chen, Yulong & Yang, Dongyang & Yang, Xu & Wang, Zheng, 2019. "Spatio-temporal dynamics of urban residential CO2 emissions and their driving forces in China using the integrated two nighttime light datasets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 612-624.
    2. Xu Yang & Xuan Zou & Xueqi Liu & Qixuan Li & Siqian Zou & Ming Li, 2023. "The Spatiotemporal Pattern and Driving Mechanism of Urban Sprawl in China’s Counties," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Fankhauser, Samuel & Hepburn, Cameron, 2010. "Designing carbon markets. Part I: Carbon markets in time," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 4363-4370, August.
    4. van den Bergh, J.C.J.M. & Botzen, W.J.W., 2015. "Monetary valuation of the social cost of CO2 emissions: A critical survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 33-46.
    5. Groppi, Daniele & Feijoo, Felipe & Pfeifer, Antun & Garcia, Davide Astiaso & Duic, Neven, 2023. "Analyzing the impact of demand response and reserves in islands energy planning," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    6. Simon Levin & Anastasios Xepapadeas, 2021. "On the Coevolution of Economic and Ecological Systems," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 13(1), pages 355-377, October.
    7. Xepapadeas, Anastasios, 2024. "Uncertainty and climate change: The IPCC approach vs decision theory," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    8. Lal, R., 2011. "Sequestering carbon in soils of agro-ecosystems," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(S1), pages 33-39.
    9. Eric Kemp-Benedict, 2011. "Confronting the Kaya Identity with Investment and Capital Stocks," Papers 1112.0758, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2012.
    10. Kriegler, Elmar, 2011. "Comment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 594-596, July.
    11. Sam Fankhauser & Cameron Hepburn, 2009. "Carbon markets in space and time," GRI Working Papers 3, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    12. Weth, Mark A. & Baltzer, Markus & Bertram, Christoph & Hilaire, Jérôme & Johnston, Craig, 2024. "The scenario-based equity price impact induced by greenhouse gas emissions," Discussion Papers 30/2024, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    13. Østergaard, P.A. & Lund, H. & Thellufsen, J.Z. & Sorknæs, P. & Mathiesen, B.V., 2022. "Review and validation of EnergyPLAN," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    14. van der Ploeg, Frederick & Rezai, Armon, 2017. "Cumulative emissions, unburnable fossil fuel, and the optimal carbon tax," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 216-222.
    15. Waldemar Karpa & Antonio Grginović, 2021. "(Not So) Stranded: The Case of Coal in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    16. Ribas, Aline & Lucena, André F.P. & Schaeffer, Roberto, 2017. "Bridging the energy divide and securing higher collective well-being in a climate-constrained world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 435-450.
    17. Hu, Xiayi (Eric) & Liu, Libin & Luo, Xiao & Xiao, Gongkui & Shiko, Elenica & Zhang, Rui & Fan, Xianfeng & Zhou, Yefeng & Liu, Yang & Zeng, Zhaogang & Li, Chao'en, 2020. "A review of N-functionalized solid adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    18. Colo, Philippe, 2021. "Cassandra's Curse: A Second Tragedy of the Commons," MPRA Paper 110878, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Matthias Schmidt & Alexander Lorenz & Hermann Held & Elmar Kriegler, 2011. "Climate targets under uncertainty: challenges and remedies," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 783-791, February.
    20. van Vuuren, Detlef P. & Stehfest, Elke & den Elzen, Michel G.J. & van Vliet, Jasper & Isaac, Morna, 2010. "Exploring IMAGE model scenarios that keep greenhouse gas radiative forcing below 3 W/m2 in 2100," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 1105-1120, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:26:y:2024:i:9:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03572-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.