Assessing the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources: A case study on air pollution and carbon emissions in China

Chen, Xihui Haviour; Tee, Kienpin; Elnahass, Marwa; Ahmed, Rizwan

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy sources on carbon emissions in the context of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). The plan emphasises a “Dual-control” strategy of simultaneously setting energy consumption limits and reducing energy intensity for GDP (gross domestic product) in order to meet the targets of the five-year plan. Using a comprehensive dataset of Chinese energy and macroeconomic information spanning from 1990 to 2022, we conduct a Granger causality analysis to explore the relationship between energy sources and the level of air pollution. Our findings reveal a unidirectional link, wherein renewable energy contributes to a reduction in air pollution, while non-renewable energy sources lead to an increase. Despite the government's investment in renewable energy, our results show that China's economy remains heavily reliant on traditional energy sources (e.g., fossil fuels). This research is the first systematic examination of the interplay between energy usage and carbon emissions in the Chinese context. Our findings provide valuable insights for policy and market strategies aimed at promoting carbon neutrality and driving technological advancements in both government and industries.

Citation

Chen, X. H., Tee, K., Elnahass, M., & Ahmed, R. (2023). Assessing the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources: A case study on air pollution and carbon emissions in China. Journal of Environmental Management, 345, 118525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118525

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 1, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-11
• Deposit Date: Mar 4, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 5, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Environmental Management
• Print ISSN: 0301-4797
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 345
• Pages: 118525
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118525
• Keywords: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law; Waste Management and Disposal; General Medicine; Environmental Engineering
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Assessing the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources: A case study on air pollution and carbon emissions in China; Journal Title: Journal of Environmental Management; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118525; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.