Constructing the Embodied Carbon Flows and Emissions Landscape from the Perspective of Supply Chain

• Main Authors: Qingjian Zhao, Zuomin Wen, Anne Toppinen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: carbon flow; carbon emission; supply chain; forestry industry
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/3865

From the perspective of supply chain, benchmarking the embodied carbon flows and emissions landscape is to study the carbon footprint in supply chain production and process management. On the basis of the theory of a green supply chain, this paper conducted its research through the following steps. First, a multi-level supply chain model was proposed and established, and various sectors, production and management processes, and inputs and outputs of different resources were integrated into the supply chain network, and then divided into multiple levels. Second, a multi-level embodied carbon flow and emissions model was established through the Leontief Inverse. Third, based on the operation data of forestry-pulp and paper companies, the embodied carbon flows and emissions at all levels and sectors were estimated and analyzed. Finally, the dismantling and processing methods of complex carbon network structures were explored, the hot-spot carbon sources and paths were obtained, and the low-carbon innovation and development strategies were proposed. The research results show that: (1) Supply chain is a new idea and carrier to study the spatial and state changes of carbon, and also provides a platform for spatial landscape analysis of carbon; (2) The modeling and calculation of carbon flows and emissions offer a new solution of evaluating the environmental performance of companies with high pollution and emission such as forestry-pulp and paper companies, and provide the government effective technical support to implement environmental regulations and formulate carbon emission reduction policies.