The temporal variation of SO₂ emissions embodied in Chinese supply chains, 2002-2012

Whilst attention is increasingly being focused on embodied pollutant emissions along supply chains in China, relatively little attention has been paid to dynamic changes in this process. This study utilized environmental extended input-output analysis (EEIOA) and structural path analysis (SPA) to investigate the dynamic variation of the SO₂ emissions embodied in 28 economic sectors in Chinese supply chains during 2002-2012. The main conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) The dominant SO₂ emission sectors differed under production and consumption perspectives. Electricity and heat production dominated SO₂ emissions from the point of view of production, while construction contributed most from the consumption perspective. (2) The embodied SO₂ emissions tended to change from the path (staring from consumption side to production side): "Services→Services→Power" in 2002 to the path: "Construction and Manufacturing→Metal and Nonmetal→Power" in 2012. (3) Metal-driven emissions raised dramatically from 15% in 2002 to 22% in 2012, due to increasing demand for metal products in construction and manufacturing activities. (4) Power generation was found to result in the greatest volume of production-based emissions, a burden it tended to transfer to upstream sectors in 2012. Controlling construction activities and cutting down end-of-pipe discharges in the process of power generation represent the most radical interventions in reducing Chinese SO₂ emissions. This study shed light on changes in SO₂ emissions in the supply chain, providing a range of policy implications from both production and consumption perspectives.