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Co-benefits and trade-offs of environmental pressures: A case study of Zhejiang's socio-economic evolution.
- Source :
-
Journal of Cleaner Production . May2020, Vol. 255, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Our societies are continuously grappling with how to achieve rapid economic growth while minimizing the challenges of environmental sustainability. In this avenue, numerous studies have contributed towards investigating socio-economic factors and developing policies targeting environmental pressures (EPs). While previous studies have tended to focus on the individual driving forces of EPs, the consideration of the co-benefits and trade-offs among different EPs and policies have been considerably overlooked. In China, previous studies have mostly engaged these issues at the national level and have overlooked the regional socio-economic characteristics – this presents a mismatch between regional policy applications and average national level research findings. Towards this end, this study examines the co-benefits and trade-offs of eight EPs in Zhejiang during the 2007–2015 period. Our findings revealed strict co-benefits in reductions of all eight EPs due to intensity changes as well as trade-offs due to changes in final demand structure and final demand composition. Sectoral results show that only the Non-Ferrous Metal Ores sector has strict co-benefits among all EPs from the production perspective, while eight sectors have strict co-benefits from the consumption perspective mainly including the Mining and Washing of Coal , Ferrous Metal Ores, Electric Power and Heat Power sectors. Our findings suggest important policy implications associated with utilizing co-benefits and avoiding trade-offs for EP mitigation: making full use of all driving forces, strengthening intersectoral coordination, and establishing a joint evaluation mechanism among different sectors. Image 1 • Environmental pressures (EPs) in Zhejiang's socio-economic evolution were studied. • Sectorial level co-benefits and trade-offs of eight EPs in Zheijiang were analyzed. • Strict co-benefits in reducing EPs were observed through intensity changes. • EPs had more trade-offs than co-benefits at the sectorial level. • Mitigation of EPs demand utilization of co-benefits and avoidance of trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09596526
- Volume :
- 255
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Cleaner Production
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 142376164
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120365