End-use efficiency to lower carbon emissions

Economic development, environmental protection and land resources are important components in sustainable cities. According to the environmental Kuznets curve, developing countries are prone to environmental pollution problems while developing their economies. At the same time, as urbanization progresses, the problem of inadequate land resources and land use efficiency in China is coming to the fore. Although China is a developing country, it began to actively implement environmental protection measures years ago in an effort to transform itself into an innovative country. Therefore, as an economic and policy pioneer region, can eastern China benefit from all three aspects of land–economy–environment at the same time? Or will the increase in land economic efficiency (Land_EcoE) and the improvement of environmental pollution occur simultaneously? With the characteristics of land use efficiency and other concepts, this study combines economic factors and land factors to establish a Land_EcoE evaluation system. On the basis of mapping the spatio-temporal evolution of carbon emissions and Land_EcoE, and discussing the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and correlation between them initially and visually by means of geographic data visualization, this study uses the data of 84 prefecture-level cities and municipalities directly under the central government in eastern China from 2011 to 2017 to test the research hypotheses from a quantitative perspective. Specifically, this study analyzes the correlation between Land_EcoE and environmental pollution by constructing a panel regression model. The conclusions show that, in general, the increase in Land_EcoE in eastern China is associated with the increase in carbon emissions. For a group of prefecture-level cities with the most developed economies in eastern China, the increase in Land_EcoE is correlated with the decrease in carbon emissions. Based on this research, this study proposes a series of policy implications on how to promote simultaneous economic–land–environmental benefits.

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Daily briefing: The quick, cheap way to lower carbon emissions and save species

Nature ◽

10.1038/d41586-020-00429-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Flora Graham

Keyword(s):

Carbon Emissions ◽

Lower Carbon

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More Timber in Construction: Unanswered Questions and Future Challenges

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12083473 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 3473 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jim Hart ◽

Francesco Pomponi

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Carbon Emissions ◽

Land Allocation ◽

Built Environments ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Environmental Loads ◽

Environmental Product Declarations ◽

Future Challenges ◽

Life Options ◽

Lower Carbon

The built environment is one of the greatest contributors to carbon emissions, climate change, and to the unsustainable pressure on the natural environment and its ecosystems. The use of more timber in construction is one possible response, and an authoritative contribution to this growing movement comes from the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, which identifies a “substantial increase in the use of wood in the construction of buildings” as a top priority. However, a global encouragement of such a strategy raises some difficult questions. Given the urgency of effective solutions for low-carbon built environments, and the likely continued growth in demand for timber in construction, this article reviews its sustainability and identifies future challenges and unanswered questions. Existing evidence points indeed towards timber as the lower carbon option when modelled through life cycle assessment without having to draw on arguments around carbon storage. Issues however remain on the timing of carbon emissions, land allocation, and the environmental loads and benefits associated with the end-of-life options: analysis of environmental product declarations for engineered timber suggests that landfill might either be the best or the worst option from a climate change perspective, depending on assumptions.

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Low Energy Building Designs for Extreme Weather Conditions in Central Asia

Volume 10: Emerging Technologies and Topics; Public Policy ◽

10.1115/imece2012-93084 ◽

2012 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Serik Tokbolat ◽

Raikhan Tokpatayeva ◽

Sarim Naji Al-Zubaidy

Keyword(s):

Carbon Emissions ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Building Design ◽

Extreme Weather ◽

Low Energy ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Increase Energy Efficiency ◽

Energy Technologies ◽

End Use ◽

Building Designs

Buildings account for nearly 40% of the end-use energy consumption and carbon emissions globally. These buildings, once built, are bound to be utilized for several decades if not longer. The building sector therefore holds a significant responsibility for implementing strategies to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions and thus contribute to global efforts directed toward mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. This paper presents an oversight of effective low-energy building design strategies for the extreme weather conditions in Kazakhstan (Astana), with temperature ranging between −35 and +40 C. Passive design features coupled with integration of renewable energy technologies have been identified for the next generation of buildings in Astana. The specific nature of the work is intentional, it is a continuing attempt to generate relevant know how that has direct relevancy to Astana’s system approach to energy conversation to meet its extreme winters.

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