Greenhouse gas emissions from road construction in China: A province-level analysis

Road construction is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. In this study, by using the life cycle assessment method, the greenhouse gas emissions from road construction in China are calculated on both the national and provincial levels. The results show that the equivalent cumulative carbon emissions from road construction in China were 1104 Mt CO2e by 2013. Cement production accounts for the major emission, responsible for 87% of all emissions. The per-kilometer greenhouse gas emissions of cement-paved roads were over 60% higher than asphalt-paved roads. On the provincial level, the per square kilometer greenhouse gas emissions ranged from 10.6 t CO2e/km2 in Tibet to 823.0 t CO2e/km2 in Shanghai. The emissions level in coastal provinces was significantly higher than those in central and western provinces. This implies a huge growth potential of greenhouse gas emissions in the underdeveloped regions. Based on the analyses, it is suggested that greenhouse gas emissions associated with road construction should be paid more attention. A holistic approach should be employed to realize environmental-friendly road construction. Especially, the planning of road network expansion and the choice of road pavement materials should be determined with a strong consideration on their greenhouse gas emissions impacts.