Carbon Footprint Analysis of the Freight Transport Sector Using a Multi-Region Input–Output Model (MRIO) from 2000 to 2014: Evidence from Industrial Countries

Abstract

Freight transportation performs a critical role in the supply networks of the global economy and is heavily influenced by the activities of the industrial and manufacturing sectors, contributing significantly to their global carbon footprint (CFP). This research evaluates the lifecycle-based CFP emissions of freight transport activities in seven selected countries (China, Japan, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, and Germany) over fifteen years, considering international trade linkages with the rest of the world. In the literature, most researchers have investigated the CFP of the transportation sector in general or analyzed the CFP of two or three countries, such as the USA and China. However, this research is novel in that it examines the CFP of the freight transport sectors of the seven biggest industrial countries. In addition, a positive relationship was found between the CFP and the gross domestic product (GDP), population, level of urbanization, and area of these countries. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between global CFP, GDP, population, level of urbanization, and country area. A total of 15 stochastic model-based multi-regional input–output lifecycle assessments were built for each country, comprising 35 key industries. Statistical modeling tools were used to assess carbon emissions. The results show that China is the largest contributor to the freight-related CFP, while the U.S. is the second largest. The manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products represents the dominant sector. In contrast, warehousing and support activities have the most significant contributions in Germany and Great Britain. Land transport and transport via pipelines contribute the most to Canada’s CFP. The results of the regression analysis show that there is a positive relationship between the investigated variables.

Daya Serap Ruang Terbuka Hijau Perkotaan terhadap Emisi Sektor Transportasi.

“…Penelitian mengindikasikan bahwa transportasi internasional angkutan barang menghasilkan 1.14 gigatons emisi CO2 di tahun 2015 dengan Asia, Uni Eropa, dan Amerika serikat menyumbang https://journal.pubmedia.id/index.php/stti hampir tiga perempat jejak carbon (K. Abbood and F. Meszaros, 2023). Hal ini disebabkan adanya peningkatan perdagangan antar benua dan antar negara [8].…”

A Detailed Examination of China’s Clean Energy Mineral Consumption: Footprints, Trends, and Drivers

“…Distinct from LCA and EW-MFA, the uniqueness of footprint analysis lies in its ability to capture comprehensively the environmental impacts of human activities and translate them into intuitive indicators [20]. The initial concept of "ecological footprint" has further evolved [21,22], giving rise to several subdomains such as energy footprint [23], water footprint [24], carbon footprint [25,26], and material footprint [27]. This method has proven its efficacy in calculating overall material resource consumption [28], identifying the characteristics of material flows [29], and analyzing trade shifts [30].…”