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China’s ecological civilization concept claims a new, Chinese model of promoting economic growth while reducing environmental pollution at the same time. This dissertation uses interdisciplinary methods to analyze two of China’s flagship ecological civilization policies, the national carbon market and the Belt and Road Initiative. While the national carbon market exemplifies China’s changing approach to domestic environmental policy, the Belt and Road Initiative is carrying the Chinese model of ecological civilization overseas. The first part of this dissertation focuses on China’s national carbon market. I use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to assess the interactions between a national carbon market and China’s ongoing structural economic transition, thereby yielding macro-scale evidence and policy suggestions for how China can fulfill ecological civilization goals of increasing GDP while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Next, I investigate the carbon market from a qualitative perspective, assessing how emissions accounting is used as a foundation for policy-making. I also explore the capacity building community that sustains the carbon market, asking broader questions about how Chinese neoliberalism informs the formation of the national carbon market. The second part of this dissertation focuses on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), situating it in the context of leakage, or relocation of production in response to environmental regulation. Through a novel empirical study, I test the assumption that BRI projects may be better or worse for the environment than other sources of finance. I then explore potential mechanisms of Chinese overseas finance exceptionalism, informing ongoing policy and advocacy debates about how to engage with the growing scale of China’s overseas investment.

China’s ecological civilization concept claims a new, Chinese model of promoting economic growth while reducing environmental pollution at the same time. This dissertation uses interdisciplinary methods to analyze two of China’s flagship ecological civilization policies, the national carbon market and the Belt and Road Initiative. While the national carbon market exemplifies China’s changing approach to domestic environmental policy, the Belt and Road Initiative is carrying the Chinese model of ecological civilization overseas. The first part of this dissertation focuses on China’s national carbon market. I use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to assess the interactions between a national carbon market and China’s ongoing structural economic transition, thereby yielding macro-scale evidence and policy suggestions for how China can fulfill ecological civilization goals of increasing GDP while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Next, I investigate the carbon market from a qualitative perspective, assessing how emissions accounting is used as a foundation for policy-making. I also explore the capacity building community that sustains the carbon market, asking broader questions about how Chinese neoliberalism informs the formation of the national carbon market. The second part of this dissertation focuses on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), situating it in the context of leakage, or relocation of production in response to environmental regulation. Through a novel empirical study, I test the assumption that BRI projects may be better or worse for the environment than other sources of finance. I then explore potential mechanisms of Chinese overseas finance exceptionalism, informing ongoing policy and advocacy debates about how to engage with the growing scale of China’s overseas investment.

Aluminum production is among the most energy-intensive industries and accounts for one percent of total global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The ongoing increase in world aluminum demand means that this industry’s energy use and CO2 emissions will continue to grow. There is significant incentive to develop, commercialize and adopt emerging energy efficiency and CO2 emissions-reduction technologies for aluminium production. Although studies from around the world have identified a wide range of energy efficiency technologies applicable to the aluminum industry that have already been commercialized, information is limited and/or scattered regarding emerging or advanced energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies that are not yet commercialized. This report consolidates available information on 10 emerging aluminum industry technologies, with the intent of providing a well-structured database of information on these technologies for engineers, researchers, investors, aluminum companies, policy makers, university students, and other interested parties. For each technology included, we provide information on energy savings and environmental and other benefits, costs, and commercialization status; we also identify references for more information.

Aluminum production is among the most energy-intensive industries and accounts for one percent of total global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The ongoing increase in world aluminum demand means that this industry’s energy use and CO2 emissions will continue to grow. There is significant incentive to develop, commercialize and adopt emerging energy efficiency and CO2 emissions-reduction technologies for aluminium production. Although studies from around the world have identified a wide range of energy efficiency technologies applicable to the aluminum industry that have already been commercialized, information is limited and/or scattered regarding emerging or advanced energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies that are not yet commercialized. This report consolidates available information on 10 emerging aluminum industry technologies, with the intent of providing a well-structured database of information on these technologies for engineers, researchers, investors, aluminum companies, policy makers, university students, and other interested parties. For each technology included, we provide information on energy savings and environmental and other benefits, costs, and commercialization status; we also identify references for more information.