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Sustainability
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Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions
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Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 9680

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhipeng Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: regional and urban low-carbon development; value-added chains and carbon emissions; sustainable quantitative method research; carbon-neutral optimization path
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jialing Zou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510420, China
Interests: global environmental governance
Dr. Hongguang Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Public Administration, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: resource and environmental effects of complex production-consumption networks

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The greenhouse effect caused by carbon emissions has seriously harmed global sustainable development. The signing of the Paris Agreement by every country marks the beginning of a concerted effort to achieve low carbon emissions in global development. The agreement provides a road map for climate action to be taken by every country to promote emission reduction and facilitate climate adaptation. Carbon emissions have infiltrated all levels of social and economic development. The adoption of clean energy from the source through improved energy utilization efficiency is an important means of reducing the generation of pollutants and carbon emissions and is conducive to energy structure transformation throughout the production process, from the end of production to the control of carbon emissions; through clean energy, we can improve resource conservation, energy consumption, pollution and carbon reduction, quality and efficiency. Focusing on low and even zero carbon from the source of development will reshape the spatial structure, industrial structure, energy structure and development modes of countries/regions, provide a strong impetus for promoting cleaner production, and guarantee obvious and fundamental improvement of the ecological environment. As such, for this Special Issue, we welcome empirical research papers on (but not limited to) the following topics:

  • Low-carbon development;
  • Clean energy utilization;
  • Energy structure transformation;
  • Value-added chains and green development;
  • Carbon emission accounting;
  • Industrial structure transformation;
  • Global carbon emission inequality;
  • Global carbon emission governance;
  • Energy flows of complex networks.

Dr. Zhipeng Tang
Dr. Jialing Zou
Dr. Hongguang Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon emission
  • clean production
  • sustainable development
  • carbon-neutral

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1860 KiB  
Article
Structural Changes in Chile’s Industries to Reduce Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions: An Emissions Multiplier Product Matrix Analysis (eMPM)
by Sergio Soza-Amigo and Jean Pierre Doussoulin
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6615; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156615 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 666
Abstract
Most countries in the world have agreed to reduce their emissions following the COP21 agreement in Paris, and as a result, each nation has presented suitable plans to do so. Chile is not an exception in this regard. This article examines the emissions [...] Read more.
Most countries in the world have agreed to reduce their emissions following the COP21 agreement in Paris, and as a result, each nation has presented suitable plans to do so. Chile is not an exception in this regard. This article examines the emissions of Chilean industries using the emission multiplier product matrix (eMPM), a cutting-edge method that estimates the pollution caused by inter-industrial activity in the country’s regions by integrating CO2 emissions with multi-region input–output table (MRIO) databases and elasticities. This approach connects the major emissions-producing sectors to the regions where these emissions come from, thereby accounting for existing interregional linkages. The application of technology, along with adequate state regulation in compliance with Chile’s pledges, acquired following the COP25 call, will decide the level of improvement in emissions reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions)
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23 pages, 4656 KiB  
Article
Decomposition Analysis of Carbon Emission Drivers and Peaking Pathways for Key Sectors under China’s Dual Carbon Goals: A Case Study of Jiangxi Province, China
by Xinjie Jiang and Fengjun Xie
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5811; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135811 - 8 Jul 2024
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Clarifying the factors influencing CO2 emissions and their peaking pathways in major sectors holds significant practical importance for achieving regional dual-carbon goals. This paper takes Jiangxi, a less developed demonstration zone in central China, as an example. It pioneeringly combines the LMDI [...] Read more.
Clarifying the factors influencing CO2 emissions and their peaking pathways in major sectors holds significant practical importance for achieving regional dual-carbon goals. This paper takes Jiangxi, a less developed demonstration zone in central China, as an example. It pioneeringly combines the LMDI method, Tapio decoupling model, and LEAP model to multi-dimensionally analyze the driving mechanisms, evolution patterns, and dynamic relationships with the economic development of carbon emissions in Jiangxi’s key sectors from 2007 to 2021. It also explores the future carbon emission trends and peaking potentials of various sectors under different scenarios. Our results show that (1) Carbon emissions in various sectors in Jiangxi have continued to grow over the past fifteen years, and although some sectors have seen a slowdown in emission growth, most still rely on traditional fossil fuels; (2) Economic growth and industrial structure effects are the main drivers of carbon emission increases, with a general trend towards decoupling achieved across sectors, while agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, and ferrous metal smelting have shown a decline in their decoupling status; (3) In the carbon reduction and low-carbon scenarios, the carbon emission peaks in Jiangxi are estimated to be 227.5 Mt and 216.4 Mt, respectively, and targeted strategies for high-emission industries will facilitate a phased peak across sectors and enhance emissions reduction benefits. This has significant reference value for the central region and even globally in formulating differentiated, phased, sector-specific carbon peaking plans, and exploring pathways for high-quality economic development in tandem with ecological civilization construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions)
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22 pages, 989 KiB  
Article
Can Low–Carbon City Development Stimulate Population Growth? Insights from China’s Low–Carbon Pilot Program
by Guorong Chen and Changyan Liu
Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014751 - 11 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1443
Abstract
In line with global trends, China confronts significant environmental challenges while navigating critical shifts in its population dynamics. The low–carbon pilot program, initiated in China in 2010 and spanning over 100 cities, is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions while facilitating robust economic growth. [...] Read more.
In line with global trends, China confronts significant environmental challenges while navigating critical shifts in its population dynamics. The low–carbon pilot program, initiated in China in 2010 and spanning over 100 cities, is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions while facilitating robust economic growth. However, the program’s impact on population growth has remained uncertain. Employing a quasi–natural experiment and the Difference–in–Difference method, this study reveals a positive association between the program and population growth. The analysis of mediating effects indicates that the program potentially stimulates population growth by attracting more Investment and reducing exhaust emissions. Nevertheless, there is a lack of evidence supporting its ability to enhance population growth through the promotion of household income. Further investigation reveals a diminishing effect of the program on population growth as cities transition from eastern to middle to western regions. Notably, no substantial heterogeneity is observed concerning the impact of GDP per capita on population growth. This research contributes empirical insights into the relationship between low–carbon programs and population growth, offering valuable guidance to municipalities seeking to bolster their populations. The potency of these strategies can be augmented by attracting investment and enhancing air quality, in contrast to a sole focus on income levels. Ultimately, the study provides actionable policy recommendations in this context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions)
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Review

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34 pages, 3652 KiB  
Review
A Review of Renewable Energy Communities: Concepts, Scope, Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations
by Shoaib Ahmed, Amjad Ali and Antonio D’Angola
Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 1749; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16051749 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5730
Abstract
In recent times, there has been a significant shift from centralized energy systems to decentralized ones. These systems aim to satisfy local energy needs using renewable resources within the community. This approach leads to decreased complexity and costs, improved efficiency, and enhanced local [...] Read more.
In recent times, there has been a significant shift from centralized energy systems to decentralized ones. These systems aim to satisfy local energy needs using renewable resources within the community. This approach leads to decreased complexity and costs, improved efficiency, and enhanced local resilience and supports energy independence, thereby advancing the transition toward zero carbon emissions. Community energy plays a pivotal role globally, particularly in European countries, driven by citizen engagement in generating power from renewable sources. The European Union, known for its focus on social innovation and citizen participation, recognizes the essential role of energy communities in its latest energy strategy. The concept for creating local energy communities or community-based energy projects has gained worldwide attention, demonstrating the economic, environmental, and efficiency benefits for using renewable energy sources. However, there is a noticeable gap in research covering all the updated aspects of renewable energy communities. This article provides an in-depth review of energy communities, especially renewable energy communities, exploring their concepts, scope, benefits, and key activities. It also sheds light on their progress by presenting results and analyses. Some countries have shown significant advancement, others are in the initial stages, and a few have partially adopted REC implementation according to the Renewable Energy Directive II. Additionally, it discusses the main challenges and potential recommendations to enhance the growth of renewable energy communities. This work is a valuable resource, emphasizing the importance of citizen involvement and offering insights into various aspects of community energy for sustainable energy transition. It also provides practical insights and valuable information for policymakers, researchers, industry professionals, and community members who are keen on promoting sustainable, community-driven energy systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainable Development: Cleaner Production and Reduced Carbon Emissions)
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