The flow of China’s carbon emissions has reversed according to new research led by scientists at the University of East Anglia.
The flow of China’s carbon emissions has reversed according to new research led by scientists at the University of East Anglia.
The study estimates the carbon implications of recent changes in the country’s economic development patterns and role in international trade since the global financial crisis.
The researchers found that emission flows have changed greatly in both domestic and foreign trade. Some economically less-developed regions, such as southwest and northeast China, have shifted from being a net emission exporter to a net emission importer. This is mainly due to the rapid growth of consumption in western China and changes in production structure.
In terms of foreign trade, China’s role in global supply chains has also been experiencing a major structural shift. Emissions represented in China’s exports declined from 2007 to 2012, the period studied, mainly due to changes in production structure and efficiency gains, while the destinations of its export emissions have been moving from developed to developing countries.
Read more at University of East Anglia
Photo credit: User:Vmenkov via Wikimedia Commons
