How is China Managing its Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
Much of these Greenhouse gas emissions have come from China, which has had the world’s largest carbon footprint since 2004 and was responsible for 28.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2018. Like all countries, China’s greenhouse g…
Much of these Greenhouse gas emissions have come from China, which has had the world’s largest carbon footprint since 2004 and was responsible for 28.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2018.
Like all countries, China’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not limited to carbon dioxide. Methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases (F-gases) collectively account for nearly 17.5% of the country’s total emissions in 2018. This breakdown roughly corresponds to global emission averages. As the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China has faced widespread criticism from the international community. Having pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 60 – 65% as part of the Paris Agreement, how China manages these challenges affects both its ability to emerge as a leader in sustainable development and the broader fight against climate change.
Global Green House Gas Emission
Between the years 2000 - 2018 roughly 75.5% of China’s CO2 emissions – which is more than those from all European, African, and Latin American countries combined – results from this heavy dependence on coal. An additional 14% of its CO2 emissions come from oil. This high concentration of coal-based emissions differs from that of other major economies. While Japan leans on coal for a quarter of its generated electricity, coal only constitutes 34.6% of Japan’s CO2 emissions. Instead, oil contributes the greatest share of Japan’s emissions (45.1%).
Methane (CH4) emission is mainly produced by transporting and distributing energy sources, raising livestock, and managing wastewater and landfills. In 2018, 30% of China’s CH4 emissions came from its energy sectors, such as coal mining and the transportation of gases. Although Beijing enacted new regulations in 2010 to curb methane emissions from coal mines, a 2019 study found that China’s total CH4 emissions continued to increase between 2010 and 2015. In addition to the energy sector, 38.2% of the methane emissions resulted from agricultural activities.
The agricultural and energy sectors are also the primary sources of N2O emissions. Nitrous oxide is mainly a consequence of agricultural soil management, such as fertilizer as well as other industrial activities. In 2017, the agricultural industry is the leading emitter of N2O in China, making up 73.7% of its emissions.
Fluorinated gases (F-gases) contribute to industrial processes, refrigeration, and the use of a variety of consumer products contribute to emissions of F-gases, which include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Lessening the Emissions from Fossil Fuels
China has made a concerted effort to reduce industrial emissions. In 2018, Beijing introduced an action plan that requires 480 million tons of carbon capacity from steel production to meet ‘ultra-low emission’ standards by 2020. China is likewise upgrading its power grid with more efficient ‘ultra-supercritical’ plants, which produce more energy with less coal. Other state-driven measures include the 2013 introduction of carbon capture and storage (CCS), which remains in the early phases of development.
Other changes may further help China reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. According to the US Energy Information Administration, China is ramping up its use of natural gas. Compared to coal, natural gas emits 50 – 60% less carbon during the combustion process. In late 2017, China’s National Resources Defence Council launched the Plan for the Establishment of National Carbon Credit Trading Market, a nationwide emissions trading scheme (ETS) that incentivizes companies to cut emissions by putting a ‘price’ on CO2.
Household Carbon Dioxide Emissions
For decades, coal has been a key source of domestic energy consumption. Over 72% of the electrical power generated in China in 2015 came from coal-powered plants, making coal a primary contributor to household CO2 emissions. Household coal use is representative of China’s urban-rural divide. In 2015, urban household CO2 emissions predominantly resulted from natural gas (33.2%) and liquefied petroleum gas (26.1%).
In contrast, coal contributes over 65% of China’s rural household emissions. The Chinese government has taken steps to reduce household reliance on coal by hastening the transition to natural gas. In 2017 China’s Ministry of Ecology and the Environment (MEE) subsidized local officials to install electric or gas heaters in 3 million homes throughout villages and cities in Hebei, Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi provinces. At the same time, the use of coal-fired stoves was banned. Beijing is also working to cultivate public support for energy conservation and environmental awareness.
Government Implementation Towards the Emission Reduction
The government has implemented multiple incentives to encourage the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). As of 2018, there were 2.3 million EVs on the road in China, totaling 45% of the world's total. The already impressive fleet of electric vehicles in China is set to expand as well. The Chinese government aims to have 5 million EVs on the roads by 2020. Central and local governments have set very ambitious targets for wind and solar power installations during the five-year period from 2021 to 2025. In order to boost alternative energy usage, Beijing pledged to install 340 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity, 210 GW of wind, and 110 GW of solar by 2020.
Nuclear energy is also part of China’s plan to reduce greenhouse emissions. The 13th Five-Year Plan stipulates a 16.5% annual increase in nuclear power capacity between 2015 and 2020. In 2018, China accounted for 45% of the global growth in renewable power generation, more than the entire OECD combined. As China continues to increase its share of renewable energy, it is expected to surpass the 15% target set in the Copenhagen Accord. An additional push may be needed if China is going to hit the targets set by the Paris Agreement.
Conclusion
While undoubtedly a milestone, China’s carbon trading system is far from complete. The scheme is currently localized to the energy sector. Efforts to establish a national emissions cap and trade system have been delayed due to multiple technical problems, including a lack of reliable emissions data. As China looks to reduce its emissions, it has actively pursued developing renewable energy sources.