Integrated inventory-based carbon accounting for energy-induced emissions in Chongming eco-island of Shanghai, China

The majority of the total carbon emissions in China are energy induced. A clear understanding of energy-induced carbon emissions is therefore necessary for local communities to develop a better carbon emissions management system. We develop an integrated inventory method for energy-induced carbon emissions accounting in local Chinese communities. The method combines scope and sectoral analyses on the basis of local statistical features. As an outcome four core findings are presented: (1) From 2000 to 2009, the energy-induced carbon emissions of Chongming rapidly increased from 1.75 to 4.90 million tons, with the annual growth rate of 12.12%. (2) Emissions from manufacturing, construction, and household sectors accounted for 84.44%; manufacturing is the biggest emitting sector. (3) Carbon emissions from imported electricity reached a historic high of 22.51% in 2009, indicating the necessity of taking the imported carbon emissions into consideration. (4) In 2008, the per capita carbon emissions of Chongming were lower than that of the United States and Shanghai, but higher than that of the global average. Three strategic approaches are proposed: to optimize industrial structure and improve efficiency, reinforce carbon management for the household sector, and enhance carbon statistics.