Carbon emissions in China's industrial sectors

Environmental input-output (EIO) analysis has been extensively used in researching energy-related CO2 emissions embodied in intermediate production processes. This research used an improved EIO model to analyze the latest adjusted data for emissions from all economic sectors (45 industries) of China in 2012. The construction sector emitted the most consumption emissions, contributing 27.9%, 46.9% and 72.1% to the production emissions from the supply sectors of “Production and Supply of Electric Power and Heat Power”, “Smelting and Pressing of Ferrous Metals” and “Manufacture of Non-metallic Mineral Products”, respectively. The “Production and Supply of Electric Power and Heat Power” sector emitted the most production emissions, contributing 27.9%, 11.6% and 44.2% of emissions from the demand sectors of “Construction”, “Others” and “Manufacturing (No. 8-38)”, respectively. The current policies caused a significant waste of resources. Capital investments were responsible for nearly half of total emissions, and the emissions avoided by imports (22.20%) were approximately equal to the exported emissions (22.95%). Although combustion of raw coal dominated the embodied emissions in most sectors, the composition of embodied CO2 emissions in certain sectors differed significantly. This research provides a more comprehensive picture on sectoral carbon emissions than is currently available; the results will be helpful for making carbon emission reduction policies.