CO2 emissions embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008: A structural decomposition analysis

This study examines the annual CO2 emissions embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008 using environmental input–output analysis. Four driving forces, including emission intensity, economic production structure, export composition, and total export volume, are compared for their contributions to the increase of embodied CO2 emissions using a structural decomposition analysis (SDA) technique. Although offset by the decrease in emission intensity, the increase of embodied CO2 emissions was driven by changes of the other three factors. In particular, the change of the export composition was the largest driver, primarily due to the increasing fraction of metal products in China's total export. Relevant policy implications and future research directions are discussed at the end of the paper.

► We investigate annual CO2 emission embodied in China's exports from 2002 to 2008 using environmental input–output analysis.
► We conduct a structural decomposition analysis to measure contributions from different driving forces.
► Change of export composition was the largest driver for the increase of CO2 emissions embodied in China's exports.
► Increasing fraction of metal products in exports is the key change in export composition.