Carbon emissions of Chinese households from 1997 to 2005

초록

As carbon emission abatement can be realized through changes in the composition of goods and services consumed, there is a need to assess indirect and total household carbon emissions. Chinese households were responsible for more than 41% of China’s total energy related carbon emissions in the 1997 to 2005 period. More than 76% of these household carbon emissions were indirect. Thus, the household sector is a major economic sector (driver) in carbon emissions and not only direct but also indirect household carbon emissions should be the policy target of carbon emission abatement. Decrease in carbon intensities of products (efficiency in production) in the studied period contributed to lower total household carbon emissions, but a substantial part of this reduction was compensated by switching towards more carbon intensive products (consumer structure). Together with increased consumption this resulted in an increase of total household carbon emissions. A substantial difference in the carbon emissions between urban and rural households in China has been identified.