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Loess Cave is a precious architectural heritage in China and is a highly effective earthquake-resistant underground structure. The seismic performance of the loess cave was studied through shaking table tests to effectively protect traditional Chinese loess caves. The prototype of the loess cave dwellings with memorial and typical in Shaanxi Province was selected using the same production method and local loess, and a loess cave specimen with a 1:5 scale ratio was made. Three seismic waves with different spectral characteristics were applied to the specimen to obtain the damage evolution model and seismic response of the structure under different seismic intensities. A new method of damage assessment combining the structural damage state and dynamic characteristics is proposed, and the earthquake resistance target of loess caves is established. This research has important practical significance for protecting the loess cave dwellings of the typical ancient architecture in Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globally booming renewable power industry has stimulated an unprecedented interest in metals as key infrastructure components. Many economies with different endowments and levels of technology participate in various production stages and cultivate value in global renewable power industry production networks, known as global renewable power value chains (RPVCs), complicating the identification of metal supply for the subsequent low-carbon power generation and demand. Here, we use a multi-regional input-output model (MRIO) combined with a value chain decomposition model to trace the metal footprints (MFs) and value-added of major global economies' renewable power sectors. We find that the MFs of the global renewable power demand increased by 97% during 2005—2015. Developed economies occupy the high-end segments of RPVCs while allocating metal-intensive (but low value-added) production activities to developing economies. The fast-growing demand for renewable power in developed economies or developing economies with upper middle income, particularly China, is a major contributor to the embodied metal transfer increment within RPVCs, which is partly offset by the declining metal intensities in developing economies. Therefore, it is urgent to establish a metal-efficient and green supply chain for upstream suppliers as well as downstream renewable power installers for just transition in the power sector across the globe. In this study, the authors report that, developed economies allocate metal-intensive-low value-added production activities to developing economies in global renewable power value chains. It necessitates building metal-efficient and green supply chains for just transition of power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) on a large scale is crucial for meeting the desired climate commitments, where affordability plays a vital role. However, the expected surge in prices of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, four critical materials in EV batteries, could hinder EV uptake. To explore these impacts in the context of China, the world's largest EV market, we expand and enrich an integrated assessment model. We find that under a high material cost surge scenario, EVs would account for 35% (2030) and 51% (2060) of the total number of vehicles in China, significantly lower than 49% (2030) and 67% (2060) share in the base-line, leading to a 28% increase in cumulative carbon emissions (2020-2060) from road transportation. While material recycling and technical battery innovation are effective long-term countermeasures, securing the supply chains of critical materials through international cooperation is highly recommended, given geopolitical and environmental fragilities. Under a high-cost scenario for battery critical materials, the uptake of electric vehicles in China may be greatly reduced, leading to increased cumulative carbon emissions. This may jeopardize both China's electric vehicle and climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Supply risks of 30 critical metals in China's energy transition are analysed. • One-third of critical metal supplies grapple with elevated supply risk. • China has grown increasingly susceptible to supply disruptions. • China's supply risk for nine metals exceeds that of other large consumers. • Framework and analysis may support adaptive risk mitigation strategies. The unprecedented low-carbon energy transition has heightened concerns about the security of critical metals (CMs) supplies that are essential for clean energy technologies. As the world's largest consumer and importer, China's CMs supply may face significant challenges due to geopolitical uncertainties, price volatility, and other dynamics. Here, we introduce a risk-modeling framework to holistically gauge the multifaceted supply risks for 30 CMs embedded in clean energy technology spanning from 2008 to 2020. Our analysis indicates that approximately one-third of CMs supplies grapple with elevated risk, and half of these CMs are associated with electric vehicle manufacturing. These risks stem mainly from significant disruption potential (e.g., lithium and palladium) and substantial import reliance (e.g., nickel and niobium). Although China's overall CMs supply risk has remained relatively stable, the nation has grown increasingly susceptible to disruptions, especially with the surge in clean energy initiatives and associated price hikes. Our detailed analysis of the risk comparison reveals that China's supply risk for nine metals (e.g., copper and chromium) exceeds that of other countries that consume large amounts of CMs. Therefore, by adopting focused strategies related to metals, both governments and industries could benefit from global partnerships, strategic stockpiling, early warning mechanisms and sustainable supply chain management, paving the way for a smooth low-carbon energy transition for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's 2050 high renewable energy penetration (HREP) scenario is a roadmap for deep decarbonization. This promising strategy, deploying wind and solar energy, will also reshape other infrastructure sectors. With decarbonization, not only can capital be diverted away from fossil fuel infrastructure toward green power generation, but considerable savings in future transport infrastructure sectors could be achieved because fossil fuels no longer need to be transported. Here, we conduct a material flow analysis with a focus on the central role of transportation to examine the interlinkages of coal and steel flows in China's infrastructure sectors between 1985, 2015, and 2050. We define the coal and steel nexus to be a system perspective that captures the interdependence and the critical linkages between these two resources. Our results show that the coal and steel nexus in China strengthened in the past three decades but could face transitional changes to 2050. The peak time of both coal and steel demand for China is expected to come before 2030. Consequentially, the volume of rail freight for the carriage of three main types of bulk cargo (coal, iron ores, and steel products) declines from ∼2,000 megatons (Mt) in 2015 to ∼700 Mt in 2050 under the HREP scenario with the two‐fold planned growth of railway infrastructure. However, investment in cleaner energy and steelmaking technologies will help China mainly rely on secondary steel resources to maintain domestic demand in 2050, further reducing the demand for coal and iron ores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has long been committing to green transition of energy system to alleviate the heavy pollution; however, a quantitative analysis for its impact on air pollution has been lacking. To fill the knowledge gap, this study makes an initial attempt to reveal how green transition of energy system influences China's energy‐related mercury emissions from both individual sector and supply chain perspectives, by using input‐output (IO)‐structural decomposition analysis and structural path analysis. Moreover, the aggregated power sector in the original IO tables are further disaggregated into seven types of power sectors to avoid the inherent huge uncertainty related to the aggregation. The results show that green transition in terms of emission factor control and energy mix adjustment has substantially benefited mercury reduction, while energy efficiency improvement has a much weaker effect. The largest consumption‐based mercury reduction brought about by energy green transition happens in sector Construction, with an amount of 49.6 t. This study also finds that the green transition generally makes the production layers less mercury intensive, and the energy‐related mercury emissions are more concentrated in the production layers. Policy suggestions for further enhancing energy green transition's mitigation effects for mercury emissions are comprehensively discussed. Plain Language Summary: China is undergoing an unprecedented green transition towards a more renewable, more efficient, and less polluted energy system. An important question arises on how to quantify the impact of green transition on mercury emissions, a toxic global pollutant to both human health and ecosystem. To this end, an environment‐economy integrated model is developed to link the mercury emissions with the production chain network in China. We find that green transition in terms of "less polluted" and "more renewable" has substantially benefited mercury reduction, while the effect of "more efficient" is much weaker. The green transition brings the largest mercury emission reduction along the upstream supply chains in sector Construction. This study also finds that the green transition generally makes the production layers less mercury intensive. By understanding the green transition's mitigation effects for mercury emissions, more targeted policies could be adopted for China to fulfill the commitment under Minamata Convention. Key Points: We investigate how green transition of energy system impacts China's mercury emissions by using structural decomposition/path analysisGreen transition as emission factors and energy mix change have substantial benefits, while energy efficiency change has a weaker effectGreen transition makes production layers less mercury intensive, and mercury emissions are more concentrated in the production layers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world's largest energy-related mercury emitter, proper reduction policy is urgently needed in China. However, a quantitative analysis on how different factors affect China's national and regional mercury emissions has been lacking, which hinders the design and implementation of mercury control strategies. To fill the knowledge gap, this study applies a temporal and spatial logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) model to reveal the important determinants of mercury emissions across China from 2007 to 2015. The results show a descendant trend generally in energy-related mercury emissions at both national and regional level. Economic scale is the main driving factor while its effect is largely offset by the decreasing mercury emission and energy intensities. However, Jiangsu and Shanxi in 2012–2015 are exceptions with emission growth because of their rebounded emission factors and energy intensities. Moreover, a decoupling effect between energy-related mercury emissions and GDP growth is found, reflecting that there is ongoing green energy transition in China. The spatial decomposition verifies that effects of economic scale and energy intensity are the mainly determinants for mercury emission differences between national average and provincial emissions. Other factors' effects are prominent in several provinces such as Xinjiang, Chongqing and Heilongjiang, where the emission gap is primarily resulted by the differences between national and local mercury intensities. By identifying the determinants of emission changes as well as the differences between the national average and provincial emissions, this study provides insights for formulating more targeted mercury mitigation strategies. • Time-series inventories for provincial energy-related mercury emissions were compiled. • The tempo-spatial decomposition model is employed to reveal mercury' determinants. • Economic scale and energy intensity mainly determine the emissions changes or gaps. • The negative effect of emission factor was prominent in most provinces. • Economic growth and energy-related mercury emissions strongly decoupled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The environmental impacts of three PV waste treatment technologies were assessed. • Recycling PV module wastes brings significant environmental benefits. • All the three PV recycling technologies are expensive in China currently. • Pathways with low environmental burdens and economic costs were identified. China will face great challenges related to PV waste in the coming decades. Mechanical recycling (MR), chemical recycling (CR), and thermal recycling (TR) are widely regarded as future technologies for PV recycling; however, knowledge about their costs and benefits remains unexplored in China. In this study, the costs and benefits of these technologies are comprehensively assessed and compared using a life cycle assessment (LCA). The results showed that MR, CR, and TR had the smallest amounts of life-cycle energy use (−28,949 MJ/ton), industrial water use (−65,069 kg/ton), and global warming potential (−5525 kg CO2 eq/ton), respectively. To date, cost-benefit analyses have demonstrated PV recycling was expensive. Overall, all three PV-recycling technologies show superior environmental and economic performance compared with landfilling. Scenario analysis showed that improvements in technology, expansion of the recycling scale, reducing transport distances, and subsidization are all effective measures for enhancing the total benefits of PV waste recycling. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional imbalance in development is amongst the most important challenges for China. As the country’s leading economic engines, three major economic circles representing 6.5% of the national land territory contributed to more than 2/5 of national gross domestic product (GDP). This paper focuses on the impact of these three growth poles in China’s regional development, particularly for their embodied energy uses in light of multi-regional input-output analysis. Significantly, the three developed areas generated huge demands for embodied energy, 1237.52 Mtce and 40.1% of the total domestic supply in 2010, but far from self-sufficient. In Yangtze-River-Delta , Pearl-River-Delta and Jing-Jin-Ji , 93.1%, 85.1% and 63.4% of their embodied energy uses respectively can be traced back to the energy-supply provinces such as Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi and other trade partners. Over a half of the national interregional transfers of embodied energy via domestic trade were induced by the three economic circles’ final demand, largely resulted from their large-scale infrastructure construction, upgraded consumption structures, high export dependency and ongoing urbanization process. The results indicate that demand-driven embodied energy is a comprehensive indicator to reflect the real energy use patterns of developed regions or megacities and reveal their industrial positions in domestic and even global supply chains. Understanding the temporal and spatial energy transition along with regional development from consumption-based insights is a vital step toward appropriately targeted policy making for the nationwide energy saving and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Both the direct and indirect need of rare earths (RE) are performing important functions in our daily life with their wide use in a range of products. However, previous studies have focused primarily on the direct use of RE and neglected the indirect effect, especially the indirect RE flow between economies. In this paper, we built an embodied rare earths flow network based on the global multi-regional input-output analysis framework and complex network theory, of which the community structure and small world nature are analyzed using complex network theory. We find that world embodied rare earths link network is clearly divided into 2 communities and the network can reveal the small world nature characteristics. Moreover, China, Germany and USA are the three most important economies based on the comprehensive analysis of the network's degree centrality, strength centrality, betweenness centrality and eigenvector centrality on the basis of network centrality theory. Furthermore, we analyze China's embodied RE outflow paths and the degree of dependence on embodied RE for each economy. Finally, some meaningful policy implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is essential for bioenergy production. Characterized as low carbon technology, crop-based bioenergy technology witnesses rapid development, inevitably putting pressure on global water resources. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully assess bioenergy technology’s overall impact on scarce water source for a sustainable bioenergy future. In this regard, this study aims to evaluate the life cycle water use of bioenergy from agricultural residues via the first pilot moving-bed pyrolysis polygeneration system in China. By using a tiered hybrid life cycle assessment, both direct and indirect water use are calculated. Results show life cycle water use is 3.89 L H 2 O/MJ and agricultural process dominates the total water use. Scenarios analysis shows different feedstock allocation ratios during agricultural production have striking influence on water use intensity. In addition, the choice of feedstock is another important influential factor. Under the 2020 Scenario in China’s 13th Five Year Plan , if all the bioenergy target could be met by polygeneration the estimated annual water use will be 6.6 billion m 3 , in magnitude up to around ten times the total water consumption in Denmark in 2013. In global scenario of potential feedstock available in 2060, the estimated water use for bioenergy produced by polygeneration will be 179–369 billion m 3 . Although the water use intensity of bioenergy production from agricultural residues by polygeneration is lower than that for other biomass conversion pathways, it is still higher than water intensity of conventional fossil energy products. Large-scale bioenergy production will have macroscopic effects on water demand. Finally, suggestions such as selecting high water-efficient biomass feedstock and reinforcing water-saving irrigation management to minimize water use in agriculture stage are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earths are important strategic mineral resources, but their production causes serious environmental pollution. As the largest producer of rare earths in the world, China is particularly susceptible to ecological destruction, water pollution, and soil erosion. In order to promote the green development of its rare earth industry, the Chinese government will implement more stringent environmental regulations. In this study, we construct a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to investigate the market impacts of environmental regulation on the production of rare earths in China. Three scenarios are used to simulate the different environmental regulatory intensities that the Chinese government may adopt in the near future. The results show that an increase in the environmental regulation of the production of rare earths would have a negative impact on the macro-economy. Regarding the rare earths market, due to an increase in the environmental cost, producer prices and domestic consumer prices would increase by 1.59%–5.78% and 0.55%–1.96%, respectively. Under the stimulation of a price increase, the total demand and sectoral demand for rare earths both decrease. Specifically, the demand for rare earths in the mining and processing of rare earths sector decreases by 18.17%–43.59%. The reduction in the demand for rare earths would lead to a decrease in rare earths production of −4.79% to −13.49%. Therefore, the supply to the domestic market would decrease by 3.02%–7.72% and to the foreign market by 5.43%–15.61%. Based on the analysis, the Chinese government could adopt a relatively loose regulatory policy with the intensity of 20% or 10% currently, and then upgrade to a complete environmental compensation level for rare earths production in the next stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] China is playing an increasing role in global climate change mitigation, and local authorities need more city-specific information on the emissions trends and patterns when designing low-carbon policies. This study provides the most comprehensive CO 2 emission inventories of 287 Chinese cities from 2001 to 2019. The emission inventories are compiled for 47 economic sectors and include energy-related emissions for 17 types of fossil fuels and process-related emissions from cement production. We further investigate the state of the emission peak in each city and reveal hidden driving forces. The results show that 38 cities have proactively peaked their emissions for at least five years and another 21 cities also have emission decline, but passively. The 38 proactively peaked cities achieved emission decline mainly by efficiency improvements and structural changes in energy use, while the 21 passively emission declined cities reduced emissions at the cost of economic recession or population loss. We propose that those passively emission declined cities need to face up to the reasons that caused the emission to decline, and fully exploit the opportunities provided by industrial innovation and green investment brought by low-carbon targets to achieve economic recovery and carbon mitigation goals. Proactively peaked cities need to seek strategies to maintain the downward trend in emissions and avoid an emission rebound and thus provide successful models for cities with still growing emissions to achieve an emission peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trend in mercury (Hg) content of fly ash, the primary solid Hg waste from coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), has not been well evaluated in China. This study integrated a national sampling campaign, a literature survey, and model predictions to investigate the trend in Hg content of fly ash and associated output nationwide. The results demonstrated that Hg content of fly ash from both our campaign conducted in 2020 and the literature survey met the Weibull distribution. The best estimate for the distribution of Hg content in our campaign (401.4 µg/kg) was about two-fold higher than that from the literature survey (236.6 µg/kg). The increasing trend was mainly attributed to the increasing installation of advanced air pollution control devices (APCDs) in CFPPs. The total national Hg output by fly ash was estimated to be 217.7 tons (64.1−501.8 tons) currently. Regarding the disposal of fly ash, a total of 16.1 tons and 105.8 tons of Hg were re-emitted into the air and immobilized in materials, respectively. The increasing trend in the Hg content of fly ash suggested the need for more stringent requirements for the disposal of solid Hg waste from CFPPs in China. [Display omitted] • Increasing trend was observed for the Hg content of fly ash in China. • Advanced APCDs can transport more Hg from flue gas to fly ash. • The disposal of fly ash led to the remobilization and secondary pollution of Hg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of food waste production in China catering industry is approximately 17–18 Mt per year. This sector accounts for about 20% of the total food losses in China. China's National Development and Reform commission has ratified 100 pilot cities in five batches to implement food waste treatment projects. Almost the 80% of these projects is based on anaerobic digestion. So, it is very important to understand clearly which is the environmental impact of these new bioenergy, or waste to energy, chains (especially at a small scale). For this reason, a Life Cycle Assessment case study is presented in this work, based on an anaerobic digestion plant, fed with the non edible food waste produced by 29 canteens, which operate inside the campus of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). The analyzed impacts are: Climate Change, Acidification, Eutrophication, and Photochemical Oxidation. The functional unit is represented by 1 kWh of produced electricity. This work demonstrates that small scale biogas plants can be realized inside big Chinese University campuses and can efficiently reduce the environmental impact of food waste management, especially if the pyrolysis process is coupled to dispose the digestate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 600 land conversion factors are used to estimate the large-scale PV potential. • The potential PV power generation in China is estimated to be 1.38874 × 1014 kWh. • China's eight developed coastal provinces account for 1% of generation potential. • Associated CO 2 reduction could meet China's emission reduction commitment. • Maximum PV scenario needs inter-regional transmission capacity reach 300 GW. The achievement of temperature control target requires a low carbon transition of global energy structure. While China is actively promoting the implementation of large-scale PV generation technology, there is still a lack of scientific knowledge of the generation potential in China. To address this deficiency, this study builds a GIS-based model with 600 land conversion factors incorporated to accurately estimate the large-scale PV power generation potential in China. The results show a potential installed capacity of 1.41 × 105 GW, corresponding to an annual power generation of 1.38874 × 1014 kWh or 21.4 times national electricity consumption in China 2016. If this potential were fully realized as a replacement for current fossil fuel-based power generation in China 2030, a reduction in China's carbon intensity of 63–68% compared to 2005 would result, which is sufficient to meet China's CO 2 emission reduction commitment. On a provincial level, while generation potential in Northwest and Inner Mongolia together account for 86% of the total, China's eight economically developed coastal provinces only account for 1%. To achieve a maximum large-scale PV scenario in China 2030, the capacity of inter-regional transmission grids from Northwest region and Inner Mongolia to the regions with insufficient potential should reach an approximate 300 GW. Our study could provide decision-makers with the precise information on large-scale PV power generation map of China, and optimizing low carbon strategies and inter-regional power transmission for achieving sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The turning point of Beijing’s production-based CO 2 emissions arrived in 2007. • CO 2 emissions declined in industry due to its further transferring and transition. • Upgradation of internal structure in services promoted the CO 2 emissions peak. • Consumption composition change in services reduced emissions with urbanization. • Beijing’s experience of peaking CO 2 emissions guides other cities in developing countries. Abstract Curbing the growth of global CO 2 emissions and limiting global average temperature rise to well below 2 °C are important targets for the international society after the Paris Climate Change Conference. Given the continuously increasing emission trends in most of the developing world, peaking emissions as soon as possible during the developing and transition process is a key challenge in realizing the target globally. In this study, we established a comprehensive analysis framework for peaking stage analysis, based on three scopes accounting, and estimating the impact of in-depth socioeconomic transitions on peaking stages. We further applied it to Beijing, which reversed its growth trend in CO 2 emissions and acted as a pioneer in fulfilling the peaking target of emissions during in-depth socioeconomic transition period, in recent years. We found that the turning point for production-based CO 2 emissions in Beijing appeared around 2007, which stopped growing and has since been fluctuating around 100 Mt. During the in-depth industrialization process, accelerating the elimination of energy and carbon intensive industries, such as resource-related heavy manufacturing, promoting the transition from industries to services, and upgrading the internal structure of industries, were key factors determining the CO 2 emissions peak in Beijing. Meanwhile, the optimization of the internal production structure of consumer and producer services also led to a declining trend of services with the in-depth industrial transition. During the in-depth urbanization process, the reduced CO 2 intensity and optimized production structure of shelter and household equipment, and upgraded services dominated consumption structure were the main reasons for urban household CO 2 mitigation. Clarifying the mechanism of the CO 2 emissions peak during the in-depth socioeconomic transition period in Beijing will help us understand the challenges of peak better and provide valuable references for other countries and regions in the developing world that are facing peaking emissions challenges in the processes of their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China implemented the Promoting the Big and Quashing the Small Policy (PBQSP) in 2007 to alleviate air pollution due to coal-fired power plants (CFPPs). However, how the policy affected the air pollutant emissions remains poorly understood. We compared the air pollutant emissions between decommissioned and newly-built CFPPs under the PBQSP by developing a plant-level supply chain emission inventory model, taking Shandong, China's top provincial-level coal power producer, as the case area. The results indicated that compared to a 27.4% increase in electricity produced in Shandong from 2010 to 2014, the NOx, particulate matter (PM), Hg, and SO 2 emissions disproportionately increased by 10.3%, 11.7%, 11.8% and 0.5%, respectively. It was found that the PBQSP policy has made great contribution to air pollution mitigation, as the supply chain emission intensities (emissions per kilowatt-hour) of NO X , PM, Hg and SO 2 of the newly-built CFPPs are three-quarters, two-fifths, three-fifths, and four-fifths lower, respectively, than those of the decommissioned CFPPs. However, coal transport route changes caused an increase in NO X , PM, and SO 2 emissions by 44.0%, 45.5%, and 55.6%, respectively, during the transportation stage, which offset the PBQSP overall mitigation effect. By building a comprehensive assessment framework for air pollutant control policies, our study provides insights for formulating coordinated mitigation measures for the pollutant-intensive industries, such as promoting efficient air pollutant control technologies including the spray dust suppression devices. • A supply chain emission inventory model was built to assess the mitigation effect. • Technological improvement led to the decline of the emission intensity. • The coal transport route changes resulted in a net increase in air pollutants. • Policy implications for comprehensive pollutant mitigation were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Northern or Northwestern regions will become critical area of PV waste. • We found over 80% of the total cumulative PV waste will be generated in 2040–2050. • The waste volume will be almost equal to the PV inflows from 2040 onward. • Silicon-based PV dominates waste market, with distinct layout from thin-film PV. • The spatial–temporal features of solar waste are vital to achieve circular economy. The challenge of when, where, and how to deal with the large volume of solar photovoltaic (PV) waste is emerging because of the continuous deployment of PV in the last 10 years. This study aimed to estimate the PV waste distribution in China from 2020 to 2050 by developing a two-step multi-criteria method combined with material flow analysis under 44 scenarios according to different PV deployment scales, growth rates and spatial downscaling criteria. The findings revealed that the total cumulative PV waste would range between 3.72E + 10 and 8.8E + 10 kg by 2050 among scenarios, over 80% of the cumulative PV waste generated in 2040–2050. The waste volume would be almost equal to the material inflows for PV installation from 2040 onward. Our results also showed an uneven PV waste distribution among regions with high concentration in the Northern or Northwestern regions, with Shandong, Hebei, Inner Mongolia or Xinjiang being the top provinces. Additionally, among different PV technologies, we found that the crystalline silicon PV waste accounted for over 50% of the total waste, and was mainly located in the Northern and Northwestern regions, whereas the thin-film PV wastes distribution was concentrated in the Eastern and Northern regions. This spatially explicit assessment of solar PV wastes distribution expands knowledge on PV waste and provides information on waste magnitude, trends, locations, and waste types toward formulating varied and refined management strategies and plans of provinces, thus shedding light on the possibility of a circular economy, and serves as an example for other large PV-utilizing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale road networks consume numerous energy-intensive products over their life cycle. However, road energy consumption remains poorly understood due to the incomplete system boundaries of methodologies and inadequate databases for quantitative assessments. To provide a holistic account of roads' impacts on energy conservation, this study investigated overall energy consumption by a road located in Inner Mongolia, China, in light of life cycle assessment (LCA). The three structural road layers model and localized databases were developed as supplements to methodologies and data of the LCA approach. The results show that 1 km of the road consumes 11.38 TJ (with an uncertainty range of −3.75%–34%), more than half of which flows into the surface layer (5.16 TJ), followed by the subgrade (4.87 TJ) and base layers (1.35 TJ). From a life cycle perspective, material extraction was identified as the major energy consumer (6.27 TJ); road service and construction used 3.01 TJ (26.59%) and 1.74 TJ (15.37%), respectively. The reclamation phase consumed 0.30 TJ with a percentage of 2.65%. It is suggested that preventive maintenance treatments and binder production procedures are critical for energy consumption mitigation, and the construction of the base layer and subgrade should address the distance management of raw material transportation. Advanced construction techniques, renewable energy resources and recycled materials applications are three highly recommended aspects of policy interpretations. This study not only facilitates more complete and accurate assessments of means of alleviating intensive energy consumption induced by roads, but also provides valuable information for enhancing sustainable road development. • Overview of energy consumption over the road life cycle. • Investigation with first-hand data and a complete road model. • Evidence analysis of critical factors and processes affecting the road life cycle. • Policy implications for sustainable road construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Case study of asphalt VOC emissions evaluated in production and construction site. • Quantitative approach to calculate the concentration of total VOCs. • Investigation of VOC compositions and emission intensities in five key scenarios. • Evidencing the significant health risk potentials for laboratory technicians. The Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) generated during asphalt pavement production and construction have negative impacts on both asphalt workers' health and atmospheric ecosystem. The characteristics of asphalt VOCs have been partly investigated so far, thus hindering the proper accomplishment of mitigation strategies. To address this issue, this study conducted a comprehensive investigation on VOCs composition and concentration by means of Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Air samples were collected during the production and the construction of an asphalt pavement located in Inner Mongolia, China, considering the four key locations for VOCs emissions: asphalt laboratory, mixing plant, asphalt storage tank and paving construction site. The analyses detected up to 135 different VOCs types. The asphalt storage tank was responsible for the most abundant VOCs emission, nearly 110 μg/L, which was almost equal to 3 and 27 times the concentration related to asphalt plant (40.08 μg/L) and paving site (4.08 μg/L), respectively. Considering the construction site, the quantity of VOCs was comprised between 2 and 4 times the amount generated in the asphalt laboratory. This study aimed to assess the VOCs concentration quantitatively during both production and pavement construction operations, and the latter stage represents the more relevant scenario for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, which enable carbon neutrality, are expected to surge in the coming decades. This growth will support sustainable development goals (SDGs) via reductions in power-generation-related environmental emissions and water consumption while generating new jobs. However, where and to what extent PVs should be utilized to support SDGs must be thoroughly addressed. Here, we use multiple PV deployment scenarios to compare the benefits of PVs and related SDGs progress in 366 prefectural-level cities in China. We developed an assessment framework that integrates a PV allocation model, an electricity system optimization model, and a benefit assessment approach. We identify vast differences in PV distribution and electricity transmission and elucidate trade-offs and synergies among the SDGs under various PV implementation scenarios. The water conservation-oriented scenario yields substantial carbon reduction, air pollutant mitigation, and water saving cobenefits, leading to the greatest SDGs improvements. Prioritizing employment creation enhances job-relevant SDGs but inhibits environmental resource benefits. SDGs in less developed cities present greater progress across all scenarios. This study highlights the need to consider spatial heterogeneity and the potential trade-offs between different SDGs and regions when designing energy transition strategies.

Relocating pollution-intensive factories is one of the most effective measures to meet mandatory environmental regulations in developed cities while simultaneously imposing environmental pressure on the receiving cities. Existing studies often assume that relocated plants produce the same or higher emissions when relocated. However, the current pollution mitigation policies enforce even higher emission standards in the destination after plant relocation. We employ a bottom-up pollution accounting approach to assess the impact of intraregional or interregional relocation of iron and steel plants in China's Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) area on various air pollutants; specifically, seven policy scenarios are modeled, based on stringency, implementation scope, and production technologies. We find that relocation combined with emission standards enforcement and shifts from BOF (basic oxygen furnace) to EAF (electric arc furnace) production technology may significantly reduce emissions within and outside BTH areas by as much as 28.8% compared to business as usual. The observed reduction is mainly due to the requirement of meeting ultralow emission standards directly or indirectly after relocation. Both origin and destination cities benefit from the relocation, with limited emission spillovers (+9.1%) for destinations outside BTH and even a net reduction (9.4%) in Tangshan. We conclude that combining factory relocation with stricter emission standards and production technological innovation could circumvent the Pollution Haven Hypothesis and deliver win-win air pollution reduction benefits for both origins and destinations.

China provides over 80% of global rare earth (RE) that caused serious domestic environmental impacts. However, how much RE-related pollution was transferred to China along global supply chain remains poorly understood. Here we, for the first time, established the RE industry-specific input-output approaches to trace environmental costs transfer through China's RE exports from whole supply chain perspective. We found that foreign consumption contributed over half of the environmental costs from China's RE production, with a gross value increasing from $4.8 billion (65% of total environmental costs) in 2010 to $5.4 billion in 2015 (74% of total environmental costs). Countries in the East Asia (i.e., Japan and South Korea) made the largest contribution (27-37%) to the exports induced environmental costs, followed by North America (i.e., the United States, Mexico, and Canada) with a contribution of 20-27% and the rest East Asia (including countries in Asia-Pacific except China Mainland, by 16-23%). Exports induced environmental costs were mainly from RE raw materials (60%) and high value-added products (22%). Suggestions such as rationalizing RE cost as well as production- and consumption-based measures to mitigate environmental impacts were proposed to enhance RE utilities for global sustainable development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

India is among the largest emitters of atmospheric mercury (Hg) in the world. India's production activities have associated Hg emissions which can be attributed to final demands (e.g., purchases by households, governments, and private investments) of nations driving upstream production from the demand perspective, or primary inputs (e.g., labor and capital supply) of nations enabling downstream production from the supply perspective. This study identifies key nations and sectors that directly and indirectly drove India's Hg emissions from both the demand and supply perspectives during 2004-2014. While domestic final demand was the dominant driver from the demand perspective (driving about 80-85% of the total), USA, China, and UAE are important foreign drivers. Similarly, from the supply perspective, domestic primary inputs were the dominant drivers. However, the share of foreign inputs enabling Hg emissions increased from 16 to 23% during the decade. Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Australia, and China are the top foreign supply-side drivers. The Construction sector is an important demand-side driver, whereas fossil fuel sectors are important supply-side drivers. These findings can guide global and national policies for demand- and supply-side management of Hg emissions in India and assist in the successful implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Recently, China has committed to decommissioning the heavy metal (HM) intensive coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), small units especially, yet a quantitative assessment for the impact on HM emissions remains poorly understood. This study, for the first time, compiles a plant-specific inventory for six HMs (Hg, As, Se, Pb, Cd, and Cr) avoided by CFPPs decommissioned in China during the 12th Five Year Plan period. The reduced HM amounts to 271.58 t (9.19 t Hg, 45.84 t As, 60.76 t Se, 85.30 t Pb, 1.74 t Cd, and 68.75 t Cr), accounting for 12.71% of the total emissions from all China's CFPPs in 2010. Small units which have low boiler efficiency and lack air pollutant control devices are more than tenfold HM-intensive as the large units. The detailed HM emission factors for each CFPP decommissioned in each provincial region are also identified. HM content in the coal consumed is a key parameter to determine their corresponding emission factors, while the capacity of decommissioned coal plants plays a decisive role in the reduced emissions. The high-resolution inventory not only verifies China's progress in alleviating HM pollution, but also provides basis for further investigation into HM relevant environmental and human health impact.

The legally binding Minamata Convention was ratified by the Chinese government in 2017, implying that mercury emission mitigation policy design has become an urgent task ever since. As each provincial region has different energy structures and technology levels, their mercury emission profiles may have heterogeneity, thus requiring targeted regional control polices. Therefore, this study investigates the provincial energy-related mercury emissions and identifies their underlying socioeconomic factors during 2007-2012, by combining structural decomposition analysis (SDA) with the multi-regional input-output analysis (MRIO). Results show that the rising consumption per capita and decreasing emission factor are the largest contributors to emission growth and decline, respectively. However, their contributions vary significantly across regions. The rising consumption per capita leads to nearly 20 t emission increase in Shandong and Jiangsu, but less than 1 t in Qinghai. The decreasing emission factor's negative effect on mercury emission reduction is extremely important in Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangdong, but not so obvious in most western provinces. Energy efficiency is another critical contributor to mercury reduction in all provinces except Guizhou, as the coal consumption in Guizhou nearly doubled during 2007-2010. Moreover, production structure and consumption structure have opposite effects during 2007-2010 and 2010-2012: they first drive energy-related mercury emissions growing in most provinces, then inhibit the emissions especially in Shandong and Guangdong. These findings point to targeted mercury mitigation strategies (for example: improving energy efficiency in Guizhou and Liaoning, optimizing economic structure in Henan and Sichuan) for each province., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)