Co-control of the haze pollution emissions in China: Insight from supply chains

Because of rapid economic development and the increase in social demand, China has been suffering from serious air pollution, in particular, haze pollution. To mitigate haze from the source, it is essential to achieve co-control of three important haze precursors: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO₂ ), and nitrogen oxide (NO_x ). In this study, we used the environmentally extended input-output model, structural path analysis, and structural path decomposition method to investigate changes in consumption-based emissions of three major haze precursors (i.e., NO_x , SO₂ , and VOCs) in China during 2007-2017. First, the results revealed that fixed capital formation was the most critical final demand to co-control the three precursors. Investment in construction was the most important behavior for co-control. Second, the most crucial common path driving the changes in emissions of the three precursors was "transportation and warehousing→household consumption" during 2007-2012, and "electricity, gas, and water supply→household consumption" during 2012-2017. Finally, direct emission intensity of transportation and warehousing, and electricity, gas, and water supplies were critical to co-control precursors. The results of this study provided a comprehensive understanding of changes in haze precursor emissions driven by demand. Therefore, China must strengthen the co-control of multiple pollutant emissions on both the production and consumption sides by adjusting supply chains. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1048-1063. © 2022 SETAC.