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[Display omitted] To achieve carbon neutrality, it is urgent to quantify carbon emissions to support policy deployment. Based on life cycle assessment, this paper proposed calculation method for carbon emissions from road infrastructure in a Demonstration Zone, China. Based on scenario analysis, this paper quantified the carbon emissions currently and analyzed the trend and characteristics of carbon emissions of road infrastructure from 2020 to 2060 through 4 scenarios. The results show the carbon emissions fluctuate between 20 kt and 540 kt CO 2 from 2013 to 2019 and increase significantly in 2014 due to the surge in road mileage. In the first three scenarios, the carbon emissions show an increasing trend after 2030, with annual growth rates of 1.12%, 0.57%, and 0.27% respectively. However, in the optimal scenario, the peak year of carbon emissions is 2024, with the peak emissions of 649.333 kt CO 2 and an increase of 245% over the base year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming four-decade, China will face serious challenge while shifting to carbon neutral. Photovoltaic (PV) power, as one of the most promising clean energies, is seen as an important focus for decarbonization of the power sector in China. The novelty of this study is to use life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to analyze the CO 2 emission reduction of the PV generation industry before 2060 base on the amount of energy and resources consumed and PV generation's CO 2 reduction benefits during the whole industrial chain. This paper aims to examine CO 2 emission reduction contribution, we firstly compute the historical emissions and predict future PV waste and new power capacity from 2010 to 2060. Then, considering the change of industrial structure and technological evolution, the yearly life cycle CO 2 emission from producing stage to recycling stage is calculated. The key results show that the unit CO 2 emission of PV system producing will reduce 88.07% from 2010 to 2060. PV generation industry's total CO 2 emission has reached its neutrality between 2014 and 2015, and will reduce 33.03 Giga tons CO 2 -eq till 2060. The findings can offer relevant insights to low-carbon development of China's PV industry and will provide suggestions for policy-making. [Display omitted] • In the context of Carbon Neutrality target of China. • Explores the CO 2 emission reduction effect of photovoltaic industry in China. • Takes energy structure, technology and products structure into consideration. • Photovoltaic industry will help to reduce 33.03 Bt CO 2 till 2060. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of road networks in emerging economies such as China causes significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This development is conflicting with China's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality. Thus, there is a need to better understand life cycle emissions of road infrastructure and opportunities to mitigate these emissions. Existing impact studies of roads in developing countries do not address recycled materials, improved pavement maintenance, or pavement-vehicle interaction and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Combining firsthand information from Chinese road construction engineers with publicly available data, this paper estimates a comprehensive account of GHG emissions of the road pavement network to be constructed in the next ten years in the Shandong province in Northern China. Further, we estimate the potential of GHG emission reductions achievable under three scenario sets: maintenance optimization, alternative pavement material replacement, and EV adoption. Results show that the life cycle GHG emissions of highways and Class 1–4 roads to be constructed in the next 10 years amount to 147 Mt CO2-eq. Considering the use phase in our model reveals that it is the dominant stage in terms of emissions, largely due to pavement-vehicle interaction. Vehicle electrification can only moderately mitigate these emissions. Other stages, such as materials production and road maintenance and rehabilitation, contribute substantially to GHG emissions as well, highlighting the importance of optimizing the management of these stages. Surprisingly, longer, not shorter maintenance intervals, yield significant emission reductions. Another counter-intuitive finding is that thicker and more material-intensive pavement surfaces cause lower emissions overall. Taken together, optimal maintenance and rehabilitation schedules, alternative material use, and vehicle electrification provide GHG reduction potentials of 11%, 4%–16% and 2%–6%, respectively. • Road construction implies significant amounts of GHG emissions. • China's road expansion plans are at odds with its target of GHG neutrality. • We assess GHG emissions of Shandong's roads to be constructed through 2030. • We combine life cycle assessment based on primary data with a new optimization model. • Individual mitigation measures can reduce life cycle GHG emissions by up to 16%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]