Mitigation of ozone vegetation damage in China through sector-based emission control towards carbon neutrality

Surface ozone (O₃) pollution poses a growing threat to terrestrial ecosystem productivity in China. Here, we quantify the mitigation potential of summertime O₃-induced losses in gross primary productivity (GPP) under China's carbon neutrality scenario by isolating the effects of emission reductions from individual sectors and their combinations. Using a chemistry-carbon modeling framework, we project substantial decreases in summertime surface O₃, leading to national GPP recoveries of 52.3 TgC in 2030 and 123.7 TgC in 2060 relative to present day. These correspond to mitigation efficiencies of 14.1 TgC TgNO_x^-1 and 24.1 TgC TgNO_x^-1, respectively. Among all sectors, transportation emission reductions exhibit the highest efficiency in mitigating O₃-induced GPP loss, due to their widespread NO_x-dominated emissions and spatial overlap with vegetation-rich regions. In contrast, emission controls from industrial and power sectors alone offer limited benefits and may even exacerbate O₃ pollution in urban areas. These risks can be largely reduced through coordinated, multi-sectoral emission controls. Overall, our findings highlight the co-benefits of O₃ pollution control for both climate change mitigation and ecosystem protection towards China's carbon neutrality targets.