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The Carbon Footprint of Material Production Rises to 23% of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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  • Hertwich, Edgar

    (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

The production of materials is widely recognized to be an important source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a range of policy processes now aim at enhancing material efficiency and circular economy. Yet, our understanding of the dynamics and drivers of material-related GHG emissions is limited. Previous analyses did not cover all materials and neither did they address the use of the materials nor their enabling of final consumption. Here, the hypothetical extraction method is used to quantify the GHG emissions from material production in a multiregional input-output model of the global economy and to trace the carbon footprint of materials from production through their first use to final consumption. GHG emissions from material production increased by 120% in the period 1995–2015 to 11 Gt CO2e, rising from 15 to 23% of global emissions. China accounted for 75% of the growth. Capital formation drives two thirds of emissions. Two fifths of materials in terms of GHG are used in construction, and two fifths are used in the manufacturing of machinery, vehicles, and other durable products. Policies addressing the rapidly growing capital stocks in emerging economies hence offer the best prospect for emission reductions from material efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Hertwich, Edgar, 2019. "The Carbon Footprint of Material Production Rises to 23% of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions," SocArXiv n9ecw, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:n9ecw
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/n9ecw
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Oluwatoyin J. Gbadeyan & Joseph Muthivhi & Linda Z. Linganiso & Nirmala Deenadayalu, 2024. "Decoupling Economic Growth from Carbon Emissions: A Transition toward Low-Carbon Energy Systems—A Critical Review," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-38, August.
    3. Barbara Plank & Nina Eisenmenger & Anke Schaffartzik, 2021. "Do material efficiency improvements backfire?: Insights from an index decomposition analysis about the link between CO2 emissions and material use for Austria," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(2), pages 511-522, April.
    4. Chenzheng Li & Anatoly V. Brouchkov & Viktor G. Cheverev & Andrey V. Sokolov & Kunyang Li, 2022. "Emission of Methane and Carbon Dioxide during Soil Freezing without Permafrost," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, April.

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