Search

• We construct a multi-model comparison framework by employing typical IAMs. • We examine how China will contribute to the global 1.5 °C climate target. • China could contribute nearly one-fifth of the global negative emissions by 2100. • The proportion of BECCS could dramatically increase to 29% under the 1.5 °C case. • Energy demand control may rely more on coordination between CCS and clean energy. Enhancing the warm-limiting targets to from below 2 °C to 1.5 °C is of great significance for climate change mitigation, during which the carbon capture and storage (CCS) of China is playing an important role. By framing a multi-model analysis to compare IAMs, this study aims to explore how China can contribute to the global 1.5 °C target, consistent with achieving its carbon neutrality goal. Our multi-model assessment shows that the enhanced targets will advance the reach time of China's carbon peak and neutrality. Under a relatively smooth emission path curve with CCS, China's carbon emissions will decrease sharply by the end of this century. It is estimated that China's negative carbon emissions will contribute nearly one-fifth of the global negative emissions in 2100, with its CCS-captured emissions accounting for 14%. In the energy system, fossil- and biomass-CCS will develop rapidly, with the proportion of biomass with CCS dramatically increasing to 29% and 17% under the 1.5 °C and 2 °C scenarios, respectively. There will be a relatively large gap between the capital and final use costs of CCS, which may weaken the technical advantage when competing with renewables during the life cycle. While the overall control of the energy consumption in the later period will rely more on the proportional adjustment and the coordination between biomass with CCS and clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon balance in urban areas has become a major research challenge and a principal policy concern in efforts to address anthropogenic climate change. Rapid urbanization and industrialization in China urge the search for integrated strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change, which not only limit to traditional infrastructure sectors, but also cover urban green infrastructure, because plants and soils function as carbon sinks through biotic sequestration. This study presents a nationwide study about how urban green infrastructure could contribute to the carbon balance in 35 major Chinese cities. By the end of 2010, the total area of urban green spaces (the dominant components of urban green infrastructure) accounts for 6.38% of the total land area of these cities and represented 51.7% of the total urban green spaces of all 657 cities in China. Based on empirical data from the literature, the total amount of carbon stored in the vegetation of the urban green infrastructure of 35 cities was estimated at 18.7 million tons, with an average carbon density of 21.34 t/ha. In 2010, the amount of carbon sequestration totaled 1.90 million tons with an average carbon sequestration rate of 2.16 t/ha/year. Collectively, only 0.33% of the carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion can be offset, ranging from 0.01% in Hohhot to 22.45% in Haikou. Nevertheless, the dominance of young vegetation stands in Chinese urban green infrastructure suggests this small carbon sequestration efficiency could become substantial in the near future, given that appropriate policies and management practices are adopted to promote urban green infrastructure for climate change mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is considered a critical carbon dioxide reduction technology for climate change mitigation. More recently, it has been attracting significant attention from the Chinese government, industry and academia in relation to its research, development and deployment. This paper screens 1,202 unique scientific articles from Web of Science related to China's CCUS and employs Citespace to conduct a knowledge mapping of the domain. The results show that the number of publications have increased and CCUS has become a multidisciplinary area of study. The paper visually demonstrates the most productive institutions, main authors, and primary sources of China's CCUS research domain. Moreover, the paper explains how the research topics have changed over time and discovers the current research frontiers including "pipeline", "shale gas" and "steel". Of significant interest is the finding that China's CCUS research progress appears to be directly related to the increasing policy support through China's five-year planning process. However, research regarding public perception, financial mechanisms and appropriate business models for CCUS deployment is found to be less prevalent. Recommendations to improve research in these areas are provided from the perspective of government intervention. This paper also highlights the importance of continued government support for CCUS as part of the national development strategy for carbon emissions reduction and transitioning towards a low carbon future. • The evolution of China's CCUS research is identified using a bibliometric method. • Outlines research foci, most productive organizations, main authors and top-tier journals. • Government intervention appears the most significant driver for CCUS development in China. • Three research areas−"pipeline", "shale gas" and "steel"− are receiving strongest policy support. • The topics "public perception", "financial mechanisms", and "business models"− lack sufficient focus in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As bioenergy produces neutral or even negative carbon emissions, the assessment of biomass resources and associated emissions mitigation is a key step toward a low carbon future. However, relevant comprehensive estimates lack in China. Here, we measure the energy potential of China's domestic biomass resources (including crop residues, forest residues, animal manure, municipal solid waste and sewage sludge) from 2000 to 2016 and draw the spatial-temporal variation trajectories at provincial resolution. Scenario analysis and life cycle assessment are also applied to discuss the greenhouse gas mitigation potentials. Results show that the collectable potential of domestic biomass resources increased from 18.31 EJ in 2000 to 22.67 EJ in 2016 with overall uncertainties fluctuating between (−26.6%, 39.7%) and (−27.6%, 39.5%). Taking energy crops into account, the total potential in 2016 (32.69 EJ) was equivalent to 27.6% of China's energy consumption. If this potential can be realized in a planned way to displace fossil fuels during the period 2020–2050, cumulative greenhouse gas emissions mitigation would be in the range of 1652.73–5859.56 Mt CO 2 -equivalent, in which the negative greenhouse gas emissions due to the introduction of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage would account for 923.78–1344.13 Mt CO 2 -equivalent. Contrary to increasing bioenergy potentials in most provinces, there are declining trends in Tibet, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang. In addition, Yunnan, Sichuan and Inner Mongolia would have the highest associated greenhouse gas mitigation potentials. This study can provide valuable guidance on the exploitation of China's untapped biomass resources for the mitigation of global climate change. • China's bioenergy potential in 2016 accounted for 27.6% of its energy consumption. • The bioenergy potential in Tibet, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang was declining. • GHG mitigation potentials of China's bioenergy would be 1653–5860 Mt CO 2 e by 2050. • China's bioenergy can contribute 6–21% to a global carbon mitigation goal in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]