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Continued urban expansion (UE) has long been regarded as a huge challenge for climate change mitigation. However, much less is known about how UE affects carbon emissions (CEs), especially in the urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin (UAYRB), China. In this regard, this study introduced kernel density analysis, the Gini coefficient, and Markov chains to reveal the UE patterns and carbon emissions intensity (CEI) in the UAYRB at the county level, and explored the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of UE on CEI with the geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The results show that both CEI and UE in the UAYRB showed a steady growing trend during the study period. The kernel density of CEI and UE revealed that CEI in the UAYRB was weakening, while the UE rate continuously slowed down. The Gini coefficients of both CEI and UE in the UAYRB region were at high levels, indicating obvious spatial imbalance. The Markov transfer probability matrix for CEI with a time span of five years showed that CEI growth will still occur over the next five years, while that of UE was more obvious. Meanwhile, counties with a regression coefficient of UE on CEI higher than 0 covered the majority, and the distribution pattern remained quite stable. The regression coefficients of different urban landscape metrics on CEI in the UAYRB varied greatly; except for the landscape shape index, the regression coefficients of the aggregation index, interspersion and juxtaposition index, and patch density overall remained positive. These findings can advance the policy enlightenment of the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing atmospheric CO2 causes substantial spatial and seasonal changes in air temperature and precipitation through its radiative (RAD) and vegetation physiological (PHY) effects. However, it remains poorly understood on how these two effects impact the integrated climate zone shifts over China. Here, we disentangle the RAD and PHY effects on the shifts of Köppen‐Geiger climate zones from pre‐industrial to 4 × CO2 in China using nine Earth system models. We find that climate zone changes over approximately 56.1% of China, and PHY contributes 15.2% of such changes at 4 × CO2. PHY shifts regional climate to warmer and wetter classifications, shrinking (−42.8%) the arid zone distributions and promoting (26.8%) the tropical zone northward extensions. Our findings highlight the critical role of vegetation in reshaping the overall climate zone distributions, yet introduce potential risk to climate mitigation and adaptation. Plain Language Summary: Ongoing rise in atmospheric CO2 not only alters the magnitudes of temperature and precipitation, but also shifts their spatial and seasonal variations, reshaping climate zone distributions. Vegetation amplifies global warming and modulates precipitation through its physiological response (PHY) to rising CO2, but how this process affects the local climate zone shifts is understudied, especially in China. Using nine CMIP6 Earth system models, we find that climate zone undergoes shifts across 56.1% of China at 4 × CO2, and PHY contributes 15.2% of such changes. PHY aids the northward expansions of tropical and temperate zones, and generally shifts the regions to warmer and wetter climate from pre‐industrial to 4 × CO2. Importantly, PHY diminishes (−42.8%) the arid zone coverage, indicating an important role of vegetation to alleviate water stress in those regions. Strong PHY contributions to the total climate zone area changes caused by rising CO2 emerges in Shandong, Shanxi, Ningxia, Guangdong and Guangxi at 4 × CO2. Our results clarify the climate zone shifts at 4 × CO2 and unravel the role of vegetation physiological response on shifting future climate zone distributions in China, providing new perspective on the role of vegetation in climate system. Key Points: Climate zone shifts across 56.1% of land area in China at 4 × CO2, 15.2% of which is contributed by vegetation CO2 physiological forcingCO2 physiological forcing shifts the regions to a warmer climate through lifting temperature, expanding tropical zone northwardVegetation acts to shrink arid zone as precipitation increases through CO2 physiological forcing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, CMIP6 and single model initial‐condition large ensemble (SMILE) simulations were applied to reveal possible changes in the spatial coverage (RSC) of summer extreme precipitation (≥99th percentile) in China. Four different approaches were applied to provide a comprehensive assessment of RSC changes. Results indicate that the trend of RSC in summer for the period 1961–2020 in China is underestimated by raw simulations of CMIP6 multi‐model ensembles. Further analyses suggest that the confidence in model simulations reflecting the observed change can be improved based on the two observation constraint approaches and SMILE‐based approach. In addition, the reliability of the spatial distribution can also be improved. Projection results indicate that the RSC of summer extreme precipitation increases consistently with the increment of global warming across the different approaches. Among them, the results based on observational constraints and the SMILE‐based approach show enhanced reliability and present larger RSC changes than by directly using CMIP6 ensembles. In conclusion, extreme precipitation in summer is expected to become more widespread in China as the level of global warming increases. Plain Language Summary: Extreme precipitation causes severe impacts on agriculture, economy, and human health. However, it is projected by models to change in China but with low consistency. Thus, this paper provides an assessment of the projected characteristics of the ratio of spatial coverage (RSC) for extreme precipitation in China combined with multiple evidence and approaches. CMIP6 and single model initial‐condition large ensemble (SMILE) simulations are applied. Four approaches based on the statistics principle and physical interpretability are conducted to comprehensively assess change in RSC. Results reveal that extreme precipitation will become more widespread in China. Among them, results based on observation constraint approaches and SMILE‐based approach, which show enhanced accuracy and reliability, present larger RSC than directly using CMIP6 ensembles. It indicates that extreme precipitation will be more widespread in China combined with multiple evidence and methods. This study provides some scientific foundation for climate mitigation and adaptation. Key Points: Observed trend in RSC in China increased significantly in summer for the period 1961–2020 but is underestimated by CMIP6 multi‐model ensemblesConfidence is improved based on observation constraint and SMILE‐based approaches to raw model simulationsExtreme precipitation in summer will become more widespread, as supported by multiple evidence lines and approaches [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion exerts a profound impact on the stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC), disrupting the carbon cycle and contributing to global warming. Through its role in mitigating soil erosion, the soil retention service of ecosystems holds the potential to stabilize and safeguard the SOC reservoir. This facet has yet to be comprehensively investigated. In this study, we quantified the preservation of SOC resulting from soil retention services in China, achieved by estimating both actual SOC erosion and potential SOC erosion using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). We find that (1) annually, SOC erosion in China amounted to 0.10 Pg C, primarily concentrated in croplands (47.8%), grasslands (21.2%), and barren lands (15.7%). Noteworthy hotspots emerged within the Soil and Water Conservation Divisions (SWCD) of key regions like the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the southwestern purple soil region (SW), and the karst region (KT). (2) The soil retention service curtailed the loss of a substantial 4.18 Pg C of SOC per year, predominantly attributed to forest ecosystems (66.1%). Hotspots of this preservation were clustered in the SWCD of the southern red soil region (SR), KT, and TP. These outcomes highlighted the critical role of soil retention services in preventing considerable carbon losses from terrestrial ecosystems. It significantly contributes to climate change mitigation and warrants recognition as an important nature-based solution in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. Forest ecosystems emerge as paramount in SOC preservation, which will be further improved with forest restoration. Beyond addressing soil erosion, future endeavors in soil and water conservation must equally address SOC erosion to comprehensively tackle carbon loss concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reforestation is a potentially large-scale approach for removing CO2 from the atmosphere, thereby helping China achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Although China has set ambitious national targets, the cost of mitigating climate change through reforestation has yet to be identified across space and time over the next 40 years. We construct spatially disaggregated marginal abatement cost curves for reforestation by modeling the effects of compensation for enhanced CO2 removals on reforestation. We project that carbon prices (compensation) of US$20 tCO2−1 and US$50 tCO2−1 would motivate land users in China to enhance reforestation by 3.35 Mha (2.65%) and 8.53 Mha (6.74%) respectively from 2020 to 2060 relative to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario (127 Mha). Carbon dioxide removals through reforestation between 2020 and 2060 in China would be enhanced by 0.0124 GtCO2/yr (1.7%) at US$20 tCO2−1 or 0.0315 GtCO2/yr (4.3%) at US$50 tCO2−1, relative to the BAU scenario (0.740 GtCO2/yr). The cost potential of carbon dioxide removal demonstrates significant spatial heterogeneity. The top 10 provinces (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang), which comprise 73.19% of low-cost abatement potential, should be identified as priority areas for reforestation. Our results confirm the vast potential for low-cost CO2 removal through reforestation to address China’s carbon neutrality challenges while underscoring that targeting reforestation to regions with the greatest potential for low-cost CO2 removal would significantly reduce the cost burden.

The influences of human activity on regional climate over China have been widely reported and drawn great attention from both the scientific community and governments. This paper reviews the evidence of the anthropogenic influence on regional climate over China from the perspectives of surface air temperature (SAT), precipitation, droughts, and surface wind speed, based on studies published since 2018. The reviewed evidence indicates that human activities, including greenhouse gas and anthropogenic aerosol emissions, land use and cover change, urbanization, and anthropogenic heat release, have contributed to changes in the SAT trend and the likelihood of regional record-breaking extreme high/low temperature events over China. The anthropogenically forced SAT signal can be detected back to the 1870s in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau region. Although the anthropogenic signal of summer precipitation over China is detectable and anthropogenic forcing has contributed to an increased likelihood of regional record-breaking heavy/low precipitation events, the anthropogenic precipitation signal over China is relatively obscure. Moreover, human activities have also contributed to a decline in surface wind speed, weakening of monsoon precipitation, and an increase in the frequency of droughts and compound extreme climate/weather events over China in recent decades. This review can serve as a reference both for further understanding the causes of regional climate changes over China and for sound decision-making on regional climate mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, a few key or challenging scientific issues associated with the human influence on regional climate changes are discussed in the context of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has made reaching sustainability and net-zero goals more challenging. The primary emphasis on health-related concerns constrains the pro-environmental movements' ability to advance. Particularly in developing nations, financial institutions may be critical in promoting green recovery. This research uses data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2021 to investigate whether adaptation preparation's financial mechanism affects the impact of climate change and green economic development (a measure of productivity growth). We applied numerous robustness tests for the validation of empirical findings of the study. The results shown that increased financial mechanisms have a considerable negative impact on economic development and productivity growth. However, the severity of these impacts depends heavily on the degree of adaptive preparedness. We find that increased financial inclusion may lead to a revival in economic development for provinces with improved adaptability capabilities (banking sector). On the other hand, climate change may have long-term negative effects on economic development and productivity growth in places with a limited capacity for adaptation. Therefore, in China financial mechanisms might affect green economic development and climate change mitigation are the quality of institutions and income level. The development plan must included by the practioners for furthure policy planning about climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to assess the relationship between fiscal decentralization and climate change mitigation to warrant the direction for the carbon-capturing systems of China. The study estimated the results of China and applied unit root test, cointegration analysis, CS-ARDL test, and robustness analysis. The survey results highlighted a significant relationship between the fiscal decentralization index and climate change mitigation. More specifically, the budgetary decentralization index's economic, governmental, and institutional factors play a substantial role in climate change mitigation in the short run. While governmental factors are found insignificant asein the long run, economic, institutional, and cultural factors revealed a significant connection in the Chinese setting. The results of the study are robust in both long-run and short-run perspectives. The study also presented prudential guidelines for using fiscal decentralization as an environmental tool for climate change mitigation and launching an effective system for carbon capture management from the Chinese perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) offers great opportunities for China and Mongolia to collaborate on tackling climate change. However, few studies have focused on China--Mongolia collaboration on climate change under the BRI's sustainable development framework; in particular, studies have neglected the factors and feasibility of collaboration. Focusing on China and Mongolia, this study first discusses the evolution of legislation in China and Mongolia in the context of dealing with climate change and then explores the factors that influence China--Mongolia collaboration on climate change mitigation from the perspectives of climate environmental governance and energy development at the domestic level. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the Paris Agreement to identify international factors that can influence climate change cooperation between the two countries. Finally, based on the results of this analysis, this paper identifies geopolitical relations, the energy supply, technology and investment, and the demand for a transition to sustainable development as the main driving forces for China and Mongolia to collaborate on climate change mitigation under the BRI. Finally, the paper concludes that collaboration between the two countries is highly feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2019, China has emerged as a leading proponent of nature-based solutions (NbS) to improve global environmental management. These solutions – from regrowing forests to restoring wetlands to regenerating agricultural soils to greening cities – can, at least in theory, simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect biodiversity, and enhance community wellbeing and resilience. For some advocates, nature-based solutions also entail a radical rethinking of how humans should be interacting with nature, requiring new responsibilities, rights, and governance mechanisms. This article explains how and why China has been promoting NbS in multilateral and domestic policy settings. By analyzing the content of English- and Chinese-language policy briefings, diplomatic remarks, and government documents from 2019 to mid-2021, it reveals that China's NbS goals and actions differ significantly in domestic and international settings. Internationally, Chinese policymakers have been reframing the country's pre-existing large-scale afforestation, green financing, disaster risk reduction, and ecotourism projects as NbS, broadly defined. In multilateral forums, meanwhile, Chinese diplomats and practitioners are promoting NbS as an umbrella term to enhance the legitimacy of domestic projects now labelled as NbS, project an image of climate action and global environmental leadership, and increase China's discursive power within global environmental governance. China's embrace of NbS, as this article reveals, has far-reaching consequences for the future of nature-based solutions within multilateral climate and biodiversity governance, with the potential to turn NbS into a diplomatic and rhetorical tool to portray conventional approaches to environmental management as innovative, nature-positive solutions. • Internationally, China is reframing pre-existing policies as nature-based solutions (NbS). • What China is labelling NbS includes large-scale afforestation, green financing, flood controls, and ecotourism projects. • Internationally, China is advocating for NbS to enhance its image and soft power. • China's NbS discourse is mainly aimed at an international audience, with domestic policy and rhetoric largely unchanged. • China's NbS leadership could further mainstream NbS discourses in multilateral forums, but hinder meaningful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon tax is a policy instrument that facilitate the phase-out of coal as a chemical feedstock and help China achieve an early carbon peak. However, the policy design is challenged by the complex dynamics of global warming potentials (GWP) from upstream methane emissions, which have a short atmospheric lifetime but a high climate impact. In this study, we compared the life-cycle GWP of two propylene production routes in China: Coal-to-Olefin (CTO) and Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH). We also conducted a cost-profit analysis that incorporates the carbon tax, considering uncertainties in the dynamic radiative forcing of methane. We derived a range of optimal carbon tax rates that can enhance the economic competitiveness of low-carbon propylene routes PDH and discourage the expansion of coal-fed CTO propylene routes. Results show that, for the propylene sector in China, the carbon tax rate should be between 86 and 600 Chinese Yuan (CNY) or 12–84 US dollars (USD) per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), which corresponds to 1–10% of the typical propylene price in the Chinese market. Our study provides spatiotemporal insights into the carbon tax for China's propylene sector to decarbonize and control upstream methane emissions. Since propylene is one of the key raw materials for chemical (e.g., plastic) productions, our analysis contributes to the climate benefits of global chemical trade. • Carbon tax contributes to controlling upstream methane emissions from coal-based chemical production. • Time-horizon is crucial for taxing carbon, especially as short-lived greenhouse gas emissions affect propylene producers' profits. • Carbon tax is necessary at provincial scale since the intensity of methane emissions from coal and propane feedstock supply chains vary regionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Contribution variations of various policies to PM 2.5 deaths are quantified by period and region. • Carbon and pollution controls can enable 79% to reside in low PM 2.5 areas by 2060. • Population aging could double PM 2.5 deaths by 2060 if other factors remain constant. • A joint effort for carbon and pollution could prevent 2.15 million PM 2.5 deaths by 2060. • Pollution controls can greatly reduce PM 2.5 before 2030, but climate policy becomes crucial after. To confront the challenges posed by air pollution and climate change, China has undertaken significant initiatives to develop strategies that address both issues concurrently. However, the health benefits of these initiatives have not been clearly articulated. In this study, the dynamic changes in health impacts under air pollution and carbon reduction actions in China are evaluated by employing the latest concentration–response models and projected PM 2.5 concentrations under future scenarios. From 2020 to 2060, the enforcement of clean air and climate mitigation policies is expected to increase the percentage of the population living with PM 2.5 concentrations meeting the 10 μg/m3 standard by 79 %. Without the implementation of relevant mitigation measures, PM 2.5 -associated deaths are projected to double due to an aging population. In comparison to the 2060 reference scenario, the joint implementation of clean air and carbon neutrality measures is expected to reduce nationwide PM 2.5 -associated mortality by 62 %, equivalent to 2.15 (95 % CI: 1.80–2.48) million deaths. Stringent pollution controls are crucial for reducing PM 2.5 -associated deaths before 2030, after which carbon neutrality actions become increasingly significant from 2030 to 2060. The challenges of mitigating future PM 2.5 -associated deaths vary greatly across regions, showing a critical response to pollution control and carbon reduction. The research proves the effectiveness of China's future air pollution control and carbon reduction policies in mitigating PM 2.5 -associated deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, the world’s largest CO2 emitter, is making every effort to transition to a low-carbon economy and fulfill its part of a concerted global commitment to combating climate change. In tandem with decarbonizing energy and industries, feasible supplementary measures are urgently needed to help remove anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere. A burgeoning literature has emphasized the CO2 removal capability of land re-naturalization (such as afforestation and wetland restoration), thereby regarding cognate land-use conversions as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and potential climate policy options. However, little empirical evidence exists concerning the effectiveness of different land re-naturalization pathways (such as converting wetlands to forests or agricultural lands to grasslands), and it also remains unclear how NbS alternatives (i.e., land-use conversions resulting in negative CO2 emission) and non-NbS options (i.e., land-use conversions resulting in positive CO2 emission) could affect the social cost of carbon (SCC), a conventional measurement for prescribing carbon mitigation approaches. This study aims to fill in this knowledge gap via embedding NbS into the dynamic integrated climate-economics (DICE) model to quantify their impacts on the SCC. Using the Pearl River Delta region (south China) as a case study for the temporal horizon during 2000–2020, we find that both positive and negative CO2 fluxes have been brought by different natural/semi-natural land conversions, affecting the SCC correspondingly. A total of 7 out of 17 types of land-use conversions could be identified as feasible NbS interventions, including forest restoration, forest-to-wetland, grassland-to-forest, grassland-to-wetland, grassland-to-cropland, cropland-to-forest, and cropland-to-wetland conversions, which could reduce the SCC values (comparing 2020 base-year with 2000 base-year) by 0.0132, 0.0009, 0.0033, 0.0030, 0.0001, 0.0082, and 0.0001 (USD/tCO2), respectively. While the SCC is mainly determined by energy and industrial structure, the overall effect of NbS is larger than the sum of land urbanization and non-NbS land-use conversions. Via embedding the real-world inter-dynamics of land-use conversions into the SCC quantification, this study presents a pioneer assessment of the impacts of NbS on the SCC in an integrated framework, sheds important insights into the effectiveness of NbS, and offers practical implications for policy-makers to devise comprehensive policies covering all feasible CO2 abatement options.

Global warming and human activities have intensified the duration, frequency, and extent of climatic extremes. The projected rise in global mean annual temperature of 1.5 °C/2 °C is thought to have severe impacts on the population exposed to droughts. Although these impacts on humans have been widely explored, the impacts associated with the cropland exposed to droughts have not been widely investigated. Here, we have examined the spatiotemporal pattern of China's drought conditions and cropland exposure to droughts under global warming of 1.5 °C and 2 °C, along with the avoided impacts (as evaluated by the cropland exposure to droughts) when limiting the global warming to 1.5 °C instead of 2 °C. Results suggest that compared to the reference period (1995–2014), drought conditions will be alleviated when the projected rise in mean global temperature is limited to 1.5 °C rather than 2.0 °C. Although severe droughts tend to be mainly distributed in northwestern China, drought severities are increasing in southern China, especially in the southeastern region. In addition, the total cropland exposure to droughts across China exhibits an increasing trend in response to the 0.5 °C of additional global warming, especially in northwestern China and Huang−Huai−Hai region. If global warming could be limited to 1.5 °C, the avoided impact will exceed 30%, especially in northwestern China, southwestern China, and the Huang−Huai−Hai Plain. Furthermore, the rising cropland exposure to droughts under the 2 °C global warming is likely to be triggered by the rising frequencies of moderate and extreme droughts. Therefore, climate mitigation strategies are urgently needed to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5 °C, for the future sustainability of China's cropland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development is best supported by intersectoral policies informed by a range of evidence and knowledge types (e.g. scientific and lay). Given China's rapid urbanisation, scale and global importance in climate mitigation, this study investigates how evidence is perceived and used to inform urban health and sustainability policies at central and local levels. Well-informed senior professionals in government/scientific agencies (12 in Beijing and 11 in Ningbo) were interviewed. A thematic analysis is presented using deductive and inductive coding. Government agency participants described formal remits and processes determining the scope and use of evidence by different tiers of government. Academic evidence was influential when commissioned by government departments. Public opinion and economic priorities were two factors that also influenced the use or weight of evidence in policymaking. This study shows that scientific evidence produced or commissioned by government was routinely used to inform urban health and sustainability policy. Extensive and routine data collection is regularly used to inform cyclical policy processes, which improves adaptive capacity. This study contributes to knowledge on the 'cultures of evidence use'. Environmental governance can be further improved through increased data-sharing and use of diverse knowledge types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather and climate events tend to increase and strengthen as global warming intensifies, which severely affect human life and sustainable economic development. Therefore, based on the Detection and Attribution Model Intercomparison Project (DAMIP) and the Land Use Model Intercomparison Project (LUMIP) provided by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6), the optimal fingerprinting method is applied to quantify the greenhouse gases (GHG), aerosols (AA), natural forcing (NAT), and land use/cover change (LUCC) contributions to the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme temperatures in China during 1960—2020. The results show that GHG is the main driver of extreme temperature changes in China, except for ice days (ID0) and cold spells (CSDI). GHG causes an increase in warm spells (WSDI) by about 10 days and an extension of the growing season length (GSL) by 6 to 8 days. The Tibetan Plateau is the region with the strongest extreme temperature changes influenced by GHG. AA forcing has a cooling effect that partially offsets the warming effect of GHG, especially in southeastern China. It should be pointed out that AA forcing is also the main driver for the changes in diurnal temperature range (DTR) in southeastern China, which exceeds the GHG contribution. Additionally, LUCC has greater impact in nighttime extreme temperature indices changes than the regional AA, and becomes the second dominant factor beside GHG. LUCC leads to an attributable cooling contribution of 0.34 °C for the maximum of daily minimum temperatures (TNx). Spatially, the LUCC effects on extreme temperature changes are stronger in western China than in eastern China. The more robust estimation of the GHG, AA, NAT, and LUCC contributions over distinct regions provides an advanced understanding of anthropogenic impacts on regional extreme temperatures, which is expected to be an important reference for regional climate change adaptation and mitigation. [Display omitted] • Tibetan Plateau is the region with the strongest extreme temperature changes influenced by greenhouse gases (GHG). • GHG displays a nonuniformity effect on the changes in the extreme temperature frequency. • Land use/cover change (LUCC) has a stronger role in nighttime extreme temperature indices changes than the regional AA. • The LUCC effects on extreme temperature changes are stronger in western China than in eastern China • The LUCC effects on extreme temperature show asymmetrical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • 2050 primary energy use can be the same as in 2010 with a 7-fold increase in GDP. • Coal use can peak around 2020, then oil in 2033, and natural gas in 2045. • Non-fossil energy is 28% in 2030, higher than China's Paris Agreement goal of 20%. • Industry CO 2 emissions can peak ∼2020, buildings ∼2029, and transportation ∼2035. • CO 2 emissions can peak in 2025, earlier than China's Paris Agreement goal of 2030. Abstract As part of its Paris Agreement commitment, China pledged to peak carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions around 2030, striving to peak earlier, and to increase the non-fossil share of primary energy to 20% by 2030. Yet by the end of 2017, China emitted 28% of the world's energy-related CO 2 emissions, 76% of which were from coal use. How China can reinvent its energy economy cost-effectively while still achieving its commitments was the focus of a three-year joint research project completed in September 2016. Overall, this analysis found that if China follows a pathway in which it aggressively adopts all cost-effective energy efficiency and CO 2 emission reduction technologies while also aggressively moving away from fossil fuels to renewable and other non-fossil resources, it is possible to not only meet its Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitments, but also to reduce its 2050 CO 2 emissions to a level that is 42% below the country's 2010 CO 2 emissions. While numerous barriers exist that will need to be addressed through effective policies and programs in order to realize these potential energy use and emissions reductions, there are also significant local environmental (e.g., air quality), national and global environmental (e.g., mitigation of climate change), human health, and other unquantified benefits that will be realized if this pathway is pursued in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Reducing power sector emissions in China is a critical step toward mitigating climate change and lowering health damages from air pollution. We conduct a discrete choice survey (N = 1060) among urban residents from 10 Chinese cities, assessing how individuals compare electricity source, cost, and reduction of emissions related to climate change or air pollution. Using observed air quality data, we also evaluate how pollution levels affect respondents' support for different types of emissions reductions. We find that reductions targeting both climate change and human health benefits have stronger support than those which address only one of the two. Furthermore, respondents in cities with the highest annual concentrations of particulate matter are willing to pay 30% more to clean up the air when compared to individuals living in less polluted cities. The analysis suggests that the public values co-optimizing mitigation policy across climate and health objectives, and that making available information on long-term air quality may encourage sustained support for cleaner energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We mapped city-level CO 2 emissions simulated by DMSP/OLS nighttime light imagery. • City-level CO 2 emissions were featured as spatial agglomerations. • The GWR revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in the impacts of different factors. • Private car ownership, PCGDP, energy consumption positively affected CO 2 emissions both globally and locally. • The reminder factors studied in the GWR were found to bi-directionally affect CO 2 emissions. Abstract Cities produce over 70% of the global CO 2 emissions that result from energy use, and thus play a key role in climate mitigation and adaptation. While the factors influencing CO 2 emissions have been subject to extensive study, via research that has explored the path of developing a low-carbon economy, little work has been undertaken at the city level as a result of a deficiency in data availability. Addressing this gap, this study firstly estimated CO 2 emissions of cities in China using Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) nighttime light imagery. We then analyzed spatial variations in the estimated CO 2 emissions at the city level, using a spatial analytical model, finding significant spatial autocorrelation in CO 2 emissions. Subsequently, we compared the effects of different socioeconomic factors on CO 2 emissions, using both global and local regression models. The results from the global regression model revealed that private car ownership, economic growth, and energy consumption were the major factors promoting CO 2 emissions in China's cities, while population density had an effect in reducing CO 2 emissions. The use of a Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model provided more detailed results, revealing significant spatial heterogeneity in the impacts of different factors. Economic growth, private car ownership, and energy consumption all posed positive effects on CO 2 emissions while the remainder of the factors studied were found to pose a bidirectional impact on CO 2 emissions in different areas of China. Economic growth and private car ownership were to found to exert the strongest positive effects in the cities of western and central China, and energy consumption was shown to significantly and positively influence CO 2 emissions in the southernmost part of China. Urban expansion and road density were identified as key promoting factors in CO 2 emissions in the northeast of China; and the industrial structure demonstrated significantly positive effects in relation to CO 2 levels in cities located in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) was not found to be significant in most cities expect Guangdong, where a significant positive relationship appeared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Compares the implementation process of two mitigation policies in Shanghai, China, 2011-2015 • Examines factors to explain the policies' divergent output - extent to which companies met the policy requirements • Identifies local government's normative power and the policies' designed flexibility as two key factors • Highlights the challenges of enforcing mitigation policies Abstract China has stepped up its efforts on abating pollution, saving energy and reducing emissions. Local government involvement is crucial. In the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011–2015), Shanghai municipality's two main mitigation policies were the carbon-market pilot (emissions-trading scheme, ETS) and the 10,000 Enterprises Energy-Saving and Low-Carbon Actions (10,000 Programme). The ETS pilot achieved full compliance, whereas 15–17% of the 10,000 Programme's target entities fell short each year. This article compares how the government implemented the policies, seeking factors that can explain the outputs. The structured and focused comparison employs a policy-implementation process model, using data from written sources and semi-structured interviews in Shanghai and Beijing, 2015–2017. The government's normative power emerged as a major factor: the local ownership of the ETS pilot sent strong normative signals to target entities that it was important to complete the tasks required of them. Further, policy requirements for determining output were more detailed and less flexible in the 10,000 Programme than the ETS pilot, making full compliance difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum coke, a non-environmentally friendly energy source, is gradually replacing other power fuels in China’s industrial enterprises because of its price advantage. Petroleum coke has high emission factors and thus emits more greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants than even raw coal. This study first examines the rapid growth of petroleum coke consumption in China since 2010 by industry sector and region and then estimates the petroleum coke-related emissions. We conclude that the total consumption of petroleum coke increased by 18.9% from 2010 to 2016 and that the industry final consumption for burning in boilers increased dramatically (by 158.2%). Petroleum coke-related CO 2 emissions reached 28 million tonnes in 2016, whereas CH 4 and N 2 O emissions totaled 870 and 143 tonnes, respectively. The increased use of petroleum coke will increase the urgency for the development of climate change mitigation and emissions reduction measures in China. We propose several possible policy suggestions for petroleum coke management and emissions control, such as strongly restricting the production and import of high-sulphur petroleum coke, as well as burning petroleum coke to provide power; more power plants and industrial kiln stoves/boilers should be equipped with efficient decontamination systems; the development of advanced industrial processes and the clean utilization of petroleum coke should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaics (PV) is one of the most promising renewable energy sources for climate change mitigation. However, not all green energy installations may not continue to be sustainable after their service life. With the largest installed solar capacity in the world, China is expected to face significant challenges in managing the end-of-life (EoL) PV panels in the coming decades, which have not been well addressed yet.Further, the massive deployment and planning of solar energy systems in China has led to a dramatic increases in demand for raw materials, which places more pressure on the available resources. In this study, we have developed a dynamic, technology-based material flow analysis model to clarify the stock, flow and secondary supply potential of waste PV panel materials in China from 2000 to 2050. The waste generation and circular flow characteristics of the component materials in PV panels are comprehensively investigated, which set important boundary conditions for the recovery and recycling of key materials. The results show that approximately 134 million metric tons (Mt) and 72 Mt of waste PV panels will be cumulatively generated in China up to 2050 under the early loss and regular loss scenarios, respectively. Polysilicon glass accounts for the largest share of PV waste, nearly 64% by weight, followed by aluminum (16%) and steel (11%). Precious metals such as Ag, Ga, In, and Te, account for less than 1% of the total PV waste, but can provide considerable economic benefits if recycled wisely. The potential of secondary resources from PV waste may reduce the supply pressure on the natural materials to some extent, but they could not fully mitigate the material supply resks. We suggest that stakeholders in the solar energy industry should take urgent actions, including recycling technology innovations, effective collection systems and incentive measures, to address the growing challenge of waste PV panels in China. [Display omitted] • Skyrocketing PV waste generation is expected in China towards carbon neutrality. • The PV panel waste is estimated at ca.72-134 Mt in China by 2050. • Glass, aluminium and steel contribute more than 91% of the PV panel waste. • Ag, Ga, and Te are insignificant mass wise but important economic wise in recycling. • PV waste recycling can alleviate PV raw materials supply risks to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We assessed the climate change impact on wheat production in China. • We employed the FGLS, DOLS, and D–K estimation techniques. • Temperature negatively affected wheat production in the long–run. • Precipitation contributed positively to wheat production in the long-run. • Agro–chemical input (fertilizer use) enhanced wheat production in the long–run. Northern and Southern regions are the two major wheat production belts of China. Agro–climatic resources have changed significantly in recent years, threatening staple food production in these regions. As a result, it is critical to investigate the long–term effect of climate change and agri–inputs on wheat production in China's top six wheat producing provinces (Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Hubei) from 1995 to 2020. The estimated long-run results from the FGLS, DOLS, and D–K estimators revealed that climatic factors, specifically temperature, had a negative impact on wheat production, while precipitation had a positive impact. The findings also revealed that agrochemical inputs, such as fertilizer, increases wheat production, whereas pesticide use decreases wheat production significantly. The results from the Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test showed a bidirectional causality between rainfall, fertilizer use, and cultivated area with wheat production, while a unidirectional causality association is running from labor force to wheat production. The current study provides several critical policy recommendations for China's sustainable food production through green agricultural practices and robust climate mitigation strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Public interest in climate change topics is affected by extreme temperatures. • There is however clear disparity in types of climate knowledge sought by the public. • Due to self-protective reasons, interest is highest for climate adaptation topics. • Extreme temperatures do not induce similar interest on mitigation topics. • Projected climate change will likely cause adaptation to overshadow mitigation. Many earlier studies concluded that exposure to changes in local weather or extreme weather events prompt public interest in climate change, and in turn raise support for mitigation policies. However, these findings do not square with observations of record-breaking temperatures, and decades of failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To address this conundrum, we use Protection Motivation Theory to form hypotheses on the specific type of climate change-related information that individuals seek during periods of extreme local weather. Using daily-level internet search engine data from Chinese cities, we find that residents are purposeful and rational in seeking information on climate change. Specifically, when faced with high or abnormal temperatures, they are much more likely to seek information to appraise their susceptibility to climate change threats, and evaluate coping responses. On the other hand, due to the lack of direct benefits, they do not seek out information on climate mitigation behaviors. In contrast to earlier studies, our findings suggest that it is unlikely that extreme weather events will prompt support for climate mitigation actions. Instead, as worldwide weather becomes more extreme and unpredictable, it is likely that public's attention will shift in the direction of adaptation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partnerships emerge as part of an environmental governance paradigm shift towards less hierarchical, more collaborative, and non-regulative steering arrangements. This paper examines the prevalence of partnerships in environmental governance on an urban level in a semi-authoritarian setting, by exploring climate initiatives in cities in China. The paper presents exploratory qualitative analysis of governance in urban China through analysis of a database of 150 climate initiatives in 15 cities, which are seen at the forefront of climate protection. The analysis suggests that climate partnerships are used as a governance strategy in China. Moreover, partnerships perform a range of essential governance functions, from rule-setting and provision of public infrastructure and services, to supporting technology development and low carbon demonstration projects. The results indicate that partnerships can facilitate local climate action by creating access to resources, such as information, technology, and funding, as well as contribute to introduction of emission reduction technology and new policy approaches. However, the inclusion of non-state actors in the formulation and delivery of climate mitigation projects redefines the lines of authority over public issues. This draws attention to two key governance challenges in the context of a comparatively state-controlled, top-down political system: skewed participation and lack of deliberative opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term stressful utilization of forests and grasslands has led to ecosystem degradation and C loss. Since the late 1970s China has launched six key national ecological restoration projects to protect its environment and restore degraded ecosystems. Here, we conducted a large-scale field investigation and a literature survey of biomass and soil C in China's forest, shrubland, and grassland ecosystems across the regions where the six projects were implemented (~16% of the country's land area). We investigated the changes in the C stocks of these ecosystems to evaluate the contributions of the projects to the country's C sink between 2001 and 2010. Over this decade, we estimated that the total annual C sink in the project region was 132 Tg C per y (1 Tg = 1012 g), over half of which (74 Tg C per y, 56%) was attributed to the implementation of the projects. Our results demonstrate that these restoration projects have substantially contributed to CO2 mitigation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal power industry, the cement industry and the iron & steel industry are among the top energy consumers and air-polluters in China, which have significant impacts on climate change. The annual productions of these three industry sectors are all ranked as the top one in the world. In order to assist the short-term policy making for the development of critical LCTs in China, an evaluation of the performance of low carbon technologies (LCTs) for the top three energy-intensive industries in China is conducted in this paper through multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method. There are 31 LCTs identified for these three industries based on the criteria including environmental performance, technological performance, and economic performance. Based on the experts’ evaluation, top 10 LCTs are selected as the critical LCTs which should be given priority in the short-term technology diffusion in China. Suggestions are provided for policy-makers on the carbon mitigation and cleaner production in the main energy-intensive industries in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past two decades there has been a shift in the geography of Global Supply Chains (GSCs) from developed countries to China, and more recently from China to successor developing countries in South Asia, Africa and Latin America. The shift in GSC geography influences global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because of an energy efficiency and low-carbon technology gap between developed and developing economies. Our simulations indicate that changing GSC geography toward China positively contributed, on average (2001–2008), 919 Mt CO 2 equivalents to global GHG emissions annually. In addition, there are potentially even larger indirect effects, including import-related and transportation-related emissions that are attributable to GSC shift-related improvements in developing world consumption and infrastructure. We then investigate the emission impact of a further GSCs shift toward South Asia, Africa and Latin America. Although the direct impact of such a shift is likely negative due to a lower dependency on coal as well as lower carbon intensities in South Asia, Africa and Latin America relative to China, it is likely that the direct effects are more than offset by the indirect shift-related effects associated with improvements in consumption and infrastructure. Our results have policy implications for future climate change mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G20 countries, account for the majority of global carbon emissions, need to take the lead in mitigating climate change. However, there are differences in economic, political and sociocultural backgrounds amongst G20 countries, especially between China and other G20 countries. Since the implementation of climate policies largely require domestic public support, it is vital to explore similarities and differences of public opinions on climate issues between China and other G20 countries. However, little research has investigated the micro-level climate concerns from the perspective of cross-country differences. Therefore, based on big data and text mining analysis, this study crawled user-generated data on Sina Weibo (N = 271,487) and Twitter (N = 4,874,546) from 2008 to 2019 to comprehensively catalog and compare climate opinions. Results show that climate change has become a salient issue in China and other G20 countries, with climate-related surges in public opinions always occurring after major natural, social and political events. Moreover, in China, there has been a significant shift in public attention from climate impacts to climate mitigation strategies, but in other G20 countries, people are more radical by emphasizing the climate movement and calling for authoritative actions. This study provides "snapshots" of climate communication and offers a quantification-based reference for promoting climate actions and collaborative governance. • Micro-level climate concerns between China and other G20 countries were compared. • The "silent majority" in China actively participate in online communication. • The "noisy majority" in other G20 countries have a pronounced emotional dichotomy. • People in other G20 countries were more radical and interested in climate politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forestry is an effective strategy for climate change mitigation. However, forestry activities not only sequester carbon but also release CO2. It is therefore important to formulate carbon subsidy and carbon taxation policies on the basis of the price of carbon. In this study, a forestry-based Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model was built by using input-output data of China in 2014 to construct a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The model simulates different carbon price scenarios and was used to explore the effects of carbon subsidy and carbon taxation policies on the forestry economy. The main results can be summarized as follows: When the carbon price is low, the implementation of the policy increases forestry output and causes forest product prices to rise. When the carbon price is high, the carbon tax will produce an inhibitory effect, and output and prices will decline. With the constant rise of the carbon price, value addition will decrease, with flow to other industries. For the carbon sequestration policy, there is a reasonable carbon price range bound. In light of these results, relevant policies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called post-China countries (PC-16́s), distinguished by low wages and high economic growth, will replace China as the “world’s factory”. The aim of this paper is to assess the effect of these changes on global CO 2 emissions pathways. To achieve this, a counterfactual is proposed wherein China’s trade with the rest of the world is replaced by the PC-16’s trade in a global multiregional input–output context. The emissions savings realized by trade replacement are significant in those scenarios where the current pattern of trade is maintained (−13% on emissions traded and −3.5% on global emissions) and in scenarios where enterprises relocate their production directly or indirectly to the most environmentally efficient countries (ranging from −15.2% to −18.2% on emissions embodied in trade). Nevertheless, the potential savings drop considerably (ranging from −1.5% to −7.1%) if companies and host countries take advantage of cheaper, but more polluting means of production and do not internalize the externalities. Through changes in international trade, there is a possibility of reducing emissions, which have to be included in international, multilateral and bilateral agreements to mitigate climate change if we do not want to lose the opportunities these changes present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community shared solar (CSS) program has great potentials in contributing to the complete decarbonization of the power sectors worldwide. Few research have focused on its potential diffusion from the user perspective. This paper fills the gap by conducting a survey-based unlabeled choice experiment in the Guangdong Province, China to investigate the determinants of potential users' willingness to participate in CSS programs. We analyzed the survey data using a random parameter logit model. Our results show that users are more likely to participate in CSS programs with lower upfront payment, trialability, shorter payback period, a public utility as provider and larger impact on climate change mitigation. However, they are likely to accept longer payback period in CSS programs with higher participation rate because of the potential benefit from interpersonal communication. Users' previous knowledge of CSS programs and income will also increase their willingness to participate in CSS programs with higher upfront payment. Our results provide important implications for designing policies and business models to promote the distributive renewable energy in China. • Community shared solar is widely accepted among surveyed individuals in our choice experiment. • The business model, and the ownership structure of community shared solar affect its potential adoption. • The interpersonal communication and public promotion of community shared solar program can increase its popularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a decade of unprecedented investment, China now has the world’s largest installed base of wind power capacity. Yet, despite siting most wind farms in the wind-rich Northern and Western provinces, electricity generation from Chinese wind farms has not reached the performance benchmarks of the United States and many other advanced economies. This has resulted in lower environmental, economic, and health benefits than anticipated. We develop a framework to explain the performance of the Chinese and US wind sectors, accounting for a comprehensive set of driving factors. We apply this framework to a novel dataset of virtually all wind farms installed in China and the United States through the end of 2013. We first estimate the wind sector’s technical potential using a methodology that produces consistent estimates for both countries. We compare this potential to actual performance and find that Chinese wind farms generated electricity at 37%–45% of their annual technical potential during 2006–2013 compared to 54%–61% in the United States. Our findings underscore that the larger gap between actual performance and technical potential in China compared to the United States is significantly driven by delays in grid connection (14% of the gap) and curtailment due to constraints in grid management (10% of the gap), two challenges of China’s wind power expansion covered extensively in the literature. However, our findings show that China’s underperformance is also driven by suboptimal turbine model selection (31% of the gap), wind farm siting (23% of the gap), and turbine hub heights (6% of the gap)—factors that have received less attention in the literature and, crucially, are locked-in for the lifetime of wind farms. This suggests that besides addressing grid connection delays and curtailment, China will also need policy measures to address turbine siting and technology choices to achieve its national goals and increase utilization up to US levels.

Agricultural land carbon opportunity cost (COC) characterizes potentials for carbon sequestration through ecosystem restoration, which is a critical component for formulating nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. Yet existing relevant estimates still stayed at global scale, lacking estimates at national and provincial scale. Here, we integrated multi-source downscaled data to estimate the magnitude of land COC for 20 categories of crops and livestock in 30 provinces of China. Results show that beef got the highest land COC with about 29% of the national total, and COC per unit production of beef was much higher than that of other products. The high beef-induced COC was primarily caused by vast amount of grass feed consumed by beef cattle, resulting in native forest land being cleared into grazing land. Moreover, both land COC and crops yield per unit area of cropland enhanced with latitude decrease, but the increase rate of the former was much higher than that of the latter. Therefore, improving utilization efficiency of existing grazing land and raising yields per unit area of existing croplands in low-latitude provinces, rather than clearing new native forest land into grazing land and cropland, would have great functions on declining national total land COC for agricultural products. The research could also contribute to discussions of local tradeoffs between land carbon storage and agricultural production and then inform climate mitigation strategies. • Land carbon opportunity cost (COC) by province-product in China was estimated. • Sichuan, Hunan, and Guangxi had the largest capacity to restore carbon. • Beef production contributed the most (29%) of national total COC. • Land COC per unit yield enhanced substantially with decreasing latitude. • Tradeoffs between carbon stock and agricultural production needs to be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, the world's largest CO 2 emitter, is making every effort to transition to a low-carbon economy and fulfill its part of a concerted global commitment to combating climate change. In tandem with decarbonizing energy and industries, feasible supplementary measures are urgently needed to help remove anthropogenic CO 2 from the atmosphere. A burgeoning literature has emphasized the CO 2 removal capability of land re-naturalization (such as afforestation and wetland restoration), thereby regarding cognate land-use conversions as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and potential climate policy options. However, little empirical evidence exists concerning the effectiveness of different land re-naturalization pathways (such as converting wetlands to forests or agricultural lands to grasslands), and it also remains unclear how NbS alternatives (i.e., land-use conversions resulting in negative CO 2 emission) and non-NbS options (i.e., land-use conversions resulting in positive CO 2 emission) could affect the social cost of carbon (SCC), a conventional measurement for prescribing carbon mitigation approaches. This study aims to fill in this knowledge gap via embedding NbS into the dynamic integrated climate-economics (DICE) model to quantify their impacts on the SCC. Using the Pearl River Delta region (south China) as a case study for the temporal horizon during 2000–2020, we find that both positive and negative CO 2 fluxes have been brought by different natural/semi-natural land conversions, affecting the SCC correspondingly. A total of 7 out of 17 types of land-use conversions could be identified as feasible NbS interventions, including forest restoration, forest-to-wetland, grassland-to-forest, grassland-to-wetland, grassland-to-cropland, cropland-to-forest, and cropland-to-wetland conversions, which could reduce the SCC values (comparing 2020 base-year with 2000 base-year) by 0.0132, 0.0009, 0.0033, 0.0030, 0.0001, 0.0082, and 0.0001 (USD/tCO 2), respectively. While the SCC is mainly determined by energy and industrial structure, the overall effect of NbS is larger than the sum of land urbanization and non-NbS land-use conversions. Via embedding the real-world inter-dynamics of land-use conversions into the SCC quantification, this study presents a pioneer assessment of the impacts of NbS on the SCC in an integrated framework, sheds important insights into the effectiveness of NbS, and offers practical implications for policy-makers to devise comprehensive policies covering all feasible CO 2 abatement options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has become the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world. However, the Chinese public's willingness to pay (WTP) for climate change mitigation is, at best, under-researched. This study draws upon a large national survey of Chinese public cognition and attitude towards climate change and analyzes the determinants of consumers' WTP for energy-efficient and environment-friendly products. Eighty-five percent of respondents indicate that they are willing to pay at least 10 percent more than the market price for these products. The econometric analysis indicates that income, education, age and gender, as well as public awareness and concerns about climate change are significant factors influencing WTP. Respondents who are more knowledgeable and more concerned about the adverse effect of climate change show higher WTP. In comparison, income elasticity is small. The results are robust to different model specifications and estimation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban form is increasingly being recognised by scientists for the potential role it might play in the coordination of sustainable urban development and the reduction of CO 2 emissions. However, despite increasing interest in the morphology of cities in climate change science, few quantitative estimates have been made of the effects of urban form on CO 2 emissions. The goal of this study is to quantify this relation, using panel data for China’s 30 provincial capital cities from 1990 to 2010. In order to meet this aim, we first selected a series of urban form indicators, which we quantified by applying spatial metrics to remotely sensed data. We then estimated CO 2 emission levels using a unified standard method recommended by the IPCC Guidelines, and subsequently performed a panel data analysis. The results of the study demonstrated a positive correlation between the growth of urban areas and CO 2 emission levels. Further, it was also found that increased “urban continuity” led to reductions in CO 2 emissions and that, conversely, increased “urban shape complexity” exerted a positive influence in relation to CO 2 emissions. The findings of this study indicate that measures to make existing cities in China more compact may in fact help to reduce levels of CO 2 emissions, just as increasing fragmentation or increased irregularity with respect to urban form may contribute to increased CO 2 emissions. If serious about achieving meaningful reductions in CO 2 emissions, decision makers and planners should take urban form into consideration when developing low-carbon cities in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production is a complex interaction between human and natural environment, making agriculture both significantly responsible and vulnerable to climate change. China, whose socioeconomy is fundamentally dependent on agriculture, is already experiencing climate-change-related issues that threaten food security and sustainable development. Climate change mitigation and adaptation are of great concern to ensure food security for the growing population and improve the livelihoods of poor smallholder producers. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Henan Province, China to assess agronomic practices of smallholder farmers, adaptation strategies and how climate change awareness and perceptions influence the farmers' choice of agronomic practices. The results showed that the vast majority of farmers owned <10 Chinese Mu (0.7 ha) and nearly all farmers' relied on intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to increase yield at the detriment of environment. However, farmers who were aware of climate change had adopted agronomic practices that reduce impacts of climate change. Information about climate change, lack of incentives, lack of credit facilities and small farm sizes were major hindrance to adaptation and adoption of farming practices that can reduce impacts of climate change. This study recommends that research findings should be disseminated to farmers in timely and appropriate ways. The central government should formulate policies to include subsidies and incentives for farmers to motivate adoption of eco-friendly agronomic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• China's influence on global climate discourses and actions is rising quickly. • China is positioning itself as the climate leader for the global South. • China is elevating the importance of adaptation in global climate governance. • Industrial-scale, technological, growth-oriented solutions anchor China's strategy. • China's strategy is reinforcing incremental, technocentric climate governance. China's influence on climate governance has been steadily increasing since the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015. Much of this influence, this article argues, has come from China forging a path for climate adaptation and mitigation for the global South. This is having far-reaching consequences, the article further argues, for the politics of global climate governance. China's discursive and diplomatic power in climate politics is growing as China builds alliances across the global South. China is leveraging this enhanced soft power to elevate the importance of adaptation in multilateral climate negotiations, advance a technocentric approach to climate mitigation, export its development model, and promote industrial-scale afforestation as a nature-based climate solution. China's strategy is enhancing climate financing, technology transfers, renewable power, and adaptation infrastructure across the global South. To some extent, this is helping with a transition to a low-carbon world economy. Yet China's leadership is also reinforcing incremental, technocratic, and growth-oriented solutions in global climate governance. These findings advance the understanding of China's role in global environmental politics, especially its growing influence on climate governance in the global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food system transformation has been a widely discussed topic in international society over time. For the last few decades, China has made remarkable achievements in food production and has contributed greatly to the reduction in global hunger and poverty. Examining experiences and lessons from China's food security practices over the years is helpful to promote a national food system transformation for China, as well as other developing countries. This study systematically reviews the literature on Chinese food security studies, with the aim of assessing China's food security achievements and examining the remaining and emerging issues in the pursuit of food system transformation. The results show that China has continuously promoted food system transformation in land consolidation, agri-food production technologies, management and organization modes, food reserves, trade governance, and food consumption. These transformations ensure not only food availability, timeliness, and nutrition, but also in terms of the ecological, social, and economic sustainability, feasibility, and justice of food security. However, China is also confronting new challenges in food security, for example, malnutrition, environmental unsustainability, and reductions in diversified agri-food. In the future, China is expected to be committed to promoting healthy diets, sustainable agricultural production, climate change mitigation, and the reduction of food waste and loss to enhance its agri-food system's resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China has consistently rejected any binding emissions cut commitments in international climate change negotiations, it has made some compromises so as to maintain unity with the Group of 77 and to extract concessions and benefits from developed countries in general, and the U.S. in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the large-scale investments of both China and the EU in climate-change mitigation and renewable-energy promotion, the prevailing view on China-EU relations is one of conflict rather than cooperation. In order to evaluate the prospects of cooperation between China and the EU in these policy fields, empirical research has to go beyond simplistic narratives. This paper suggests a conceptual apparatus that will help researchers better understand the complexities of the real world. The relevant actors operate at different levels and in the public and private sectors. The main message of the paper is that combining the multilevel governance and value-chain approaches helps clarify the multiple relationships between these actors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: At Copenhagen, the developed countries agreed to provide up to $100bn per year to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation by developing countries. Projects aimed at cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will need to be evaluated against dual criteria: from the viewpoint of the developed countries they must cut emissions of GHGs at reasonable cost, while host countries will assess their contribution to development, or simply their overall economic benefits. Co-benefits of some types of project will also be of interest to host countries: for example some projects will contribute to reducing air pollution, thus improving the health of the local population. This paper uses a simple damage function methodology to quantify some of the health co-benefits of replacing coal-fired generation with wind or small hydro in China. We estimate the monetary value of these co-benefits and find that it is probably small compared to the added costs. We have not made a full cost-benefit analysis of renewable energy in China as some likely co-benefits are omitted from our calculations. Our results are subject to considerable uncertainty however, after careful consideration of their likely accuracy and comparisons with other studies, we believe that they provide a good first cut estimate of co-benefits and are sufficiently robust to stand as a guide for policy makers. In addition to these empirical results, a key contribution made by the paper is to demonstrate a simple and reasonably accurate methodology for health benefits estimation that applies the most recent academic research in the field to the solution of an increasingly important problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The National 12th Five-Year-Plan for Social and Economic Development (2011–2015) (national development policy) in China requires knowledge of ecological complexity to better guide policy development for adaptation strategies and mitigation to complex climate change. The thinking of human–environment interactions supplements climate change related policies in supporting sustainability through adaptation and mitigation. Based on a review of the climate change contents of the National 10th and 11th Five-Year-Plan in China, the paper illustrates the complexity of climate changes that have affected China''s environmental sustainability now and offers policy viewpoints for the in-preparing 12th Five-Year Plan, with five core areas for the implementation of climate change policy: (A) development of the transition to a low carbon economy, (B) prevention and treatment of urban environmental negative effects caused by climate change, (C) adaptation to sea level rises in coastal zones, (D) maintaining the resilience of natural ecosystems affected by climate change, and (E) prevention and control of climate disaster and environmental risk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Since climate change mitigation is the central debate of modern literature, the realization of carbon neutrality in response to diversified macroeconomic variables is the most crucial concern of international economies. However, the critical role of trade and renewable electricity output in export diversification-environmental nexus is missing. Therefore, this study investigates the combined influence of trade openness, exports diversification, and renewable electricity output on carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2) in China from 1989 through 2019. Applying novel time series econometric techniques robust to structural breaks, following new outcomes are obtained. Firstly, long-run equilibrium cointegration existed among the under-analysis variables. Secondly, export diversification and renewable electricity output are predicted to decelerate CO 2 , supporting carbon neutrality in the long run. Thirdly, trade openness and gross domestic product accelerated the CO 2 , delaying carbon neutrality accomplishment. Most importantly, significant structural break dummy interacting with trade openness implicated that during the post-2001 era, China's trade openness extensively deteriorated the environmental quality in the face of trade liberalization obtained after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). Based on empirical results, export diversification and renewable electricity production policies should be mutually non-exclusive and closely coordinated. Further, to counter the carbon emission acceleration impact of trade openness, increasing the share of green tradable products is suggested. Finally, bilateral trade restructuring is recommended to realize the long-term dream of economic sustainability and carbon neutrality. • The role of exports diversification and trade openness is analyzed for China. • Novel time series methods are used for data from 1989 to 2019. • Exports diversification and renewable energy limit carbon emissions. • Trade openness and economic growth cause emissions to increase. • Sustainable trade is encouraged for achieving carbon neutrality target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing vehicle numbers in China have raised issues on effective mitigation of the vehicular NO x emissions recently. Notably, temporally growing and spatial agglomeration of high vehicular NO x emissions make an essential challenge to the mitigation strategy-makers. However, so far, there have been few studies to give insight into the socioeconomic drivers like the spatial imbalance of socioeconomic development, vehicle structure and road infrastructure to help governors. To fill the above gap, this study explores drivers of temporal change and spatial differences by building a temporal-spatial decomposition model and accounting for national and regional NO x emissions from vehicles in China from 2005 to 2015. Results show that, of all the driving forces in this study, only road vehicle carrying capacity (ΔN VI) acts as a primary driving force for both temporal growing and spatial agglomeration of vehicular NO x emissions in China. Regional vehicle emission intensity (ΔN NI) and road economic growth (ΔN EI) only mainly contributed to spatial agglomeration. While economic development (ΔN G) played a crucial role in the temporal growing of vehicular NO x emissions in China. These findings indicate that the future mitigation policy should fully cover the comprehensive socioeconomic factors, which would be useful for China and other developing countries when aiming to improve the performance of their current vehicle emissions policy system. Image 1 • China's NO x emissions from provincial vehicles were estimated during 2005–2015. • A new temporal-spatial decomposition model was built to identify emission drivers. • Road vehicle carrying capacity drives both temporal change and spatial difference. • Regional emission intensity and road economic growth affect spatial difference. • Economic development played a crucial role in the temporal change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]