Improving Subnational Input–Output Analyses Using Regional Trade Data: A Case-Study and Comparison
Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 54, pp. 12732–12741
Abstract
Environmentally extended input-output analysis (EE-IO) is widely used for evaluating environmental performance (i.e., footprint) at a national level. Many studies have extended their analyses to the subnational level to guide regional policies. One promising method is to embed nationally disaggregated input-output tables, e.g., nesting a provincial level table, into a global multiregional input-output table. However, a widely used approach to environmental assessment generally disaggregates the trade structure at the national level to the provincial level using the same proportions (proportionality assumption). This means that the subnational spatial heterogeneities on international trade are not fully captured. By calculating the Chinese provincial material footprint (MF) based on two approaches-the proportionality assumption and the actual customs statistics-in the same framework, we evaluate the quantitative differences when the proportionality assumption is addressed. By computing MF for 23 aggregated resources across 30 Chinese provinces, our results show for countries with large material flows like China, estimating subnational-level international trade by proportionality assumption may lead to significant differences in material flows at both the disaggregated and aggregated levels. An important follow-up question is whether these differences are also relevant for other footprints.
Authors 11
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
Leiden University College The Hague, 2595 DG The Hague, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research
Affiliation as printed
Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
Institute for Circular Economy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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East China University of Science and Technology
Affiliation as printed
School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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Affiliation as printed
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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Leiden University · Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 2, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands
The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO, 2595 DA Den Haag, The Netherlands
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Bing Zhu corresponding
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis · Tsinghua University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
Energy Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, Laxenburg A-2361, Austria
Institute for Circular Economy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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