Chinese scientists launch "Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report" to help achieve global carbon reduction goals
China's first special report on carbon emissions from a consumer-side perspective-"Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report (2024)" was officially released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai on May 29, which will help achieve the global carbon reduction goal.
The "Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report (2024)" is led by the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and is jointly compiled by experts from scientific research institutions and universities such as the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Urban Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tsinghua University. It is based on long-term accumulation and latest research. Completed.
Based on the latest results of global carbon emissions research from the consumer-side perspective of the expert team, this report evaluates the trade carbon transfer effect of typical products by analyzing the evolution characteristics of consumer-side carbon emissions in major developed and developing countries around the world from 1990 to 2019. At the same time, it proposes a series of new understandings on the accounting of global carbon emissions from the perspective of consumption, providing scientific support for global emission reduction and climate change governance.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences held a special press conference on the "Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report (2024)" in Shanghai on the same day. Relevant experts interpreted the report and called for coordinating the production and consumption ends, building a more scientific and reasonable accounting system, and further optimizing methodology and Data quality, deepen relevant scientific research and international cooperation, and better provide scientific basis for global emission reduction and climate change governance.
5月29日，中国首份以消费端视角研究碳排放的专项报告——《消费端碳排放研究报告(2024)》，由中国科学院在上海正式对外发布，中国科学院上海高等研究院副院长魏伟研究员介绍解读报告主要内容，并回答媒体提问。中新网记者 孙自法 摄
Researcher Wei Wei, editor-in-chief of the "Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report (2024)" and vice president of the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Studies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that consumer-based carbon accounting focuses on carbon emissions caused by consumption behavior and can comprehensively calculate greenhouse gas emissions in different regions or industries, depict the carbon footprint in economic activities, and evaluate the carbon emission dynamics caused by different consumer entities, which is more conducive to clarifying the responsibility of producers and consumers for carbon emissions. Better practice fairness and justice.
The latest research report shows that between 1990 and 2019, carbon emissions from consumption in major developed countries were generally higher than carbon emissions from production, while the opposite was true in major developing countries. Carbon emissions at the production end of non-Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries/regions, mainly developing countries, have always been greater than carbon emissions at the consumption end, and the difference has gradually expanded from 1.47 billion tons in 1990 to 4.17 billion tons in 2019.
The research report also shows that between 1990 and 2019, China's carbon emissions from consumption were always lower than those from production, and the difference between production and consumption carbon emissions increased from 700 million tons in 1990 to 1.80 billion tons in 2019; China's export trade implied carbon intensity reduced by 83.3%, providing more green and low-carbon products to the world; In 2021, China will bear 100 million tons of net carbon dioxide emissions for other countries due to trade in steel raw materials products, and 250 million tons of net carbon dioxide emissions for other countries due to trade in photovoltaic products.
The "Consumer Carbon Emissions Research Report (2024)" points out that the joint realization of the global carbon reduction goal ultimately depends on the joint efforts of all countries. The report recommends further strengthening research on consumer-side accounting methodologies, expanding the coverage of research products, and building a full-caliber carbon measurement technology system that combines "top-down" and "bottom-up", with a view to obtaining more in-depth, accurate and comprehensive accounting results, effectively fulfilling common but differentiated responsibilities for carbon reduction, strengthening North-South cooperation, promoting global technological progress, and jointly responding to human challenges.
Regarding future research and release plans on consumer-side carbon emissions, Wei Wei said that first, open cooperation to international counterparts and widely attract foreign scientists and teams in relevant fields to participate in collaborative research; second, further optimize accounting methods and integrate various carbon sources, including carbon sinks, and carry out comprehensive and in-depth research on more related factors; third, lay a solid foundation for the subsequent establishment of a full-caliber carbon emissions database with international influence. In the future, it will be publicly released in the form of regular or irregular research reports based on research progress.
