Carbon loss and inequality exacerbated by embodied land redistribution in international trade

Abstract

International trade profoundly impacts global land resource redistribution, creating significant inequalities. However, there is still a considerable gap in studies on land transfer and resulting environmental consequences. This study aims to illuminate inequality patterns by examining the global transfer dynamics of embodied cropland, forestland, and pasture in 2001, 2011, and 2021. The results reveal a notable increase in transfers within developing regions, rising from 21.8 % to 37.1 %. The direction of the largest shifts changed in embodied cropland and forestland. Embodied land outflows from developing regions were mainly related to primary products, while those from developed regions came from manufacturing and services. The carbon losses from trade-induced land use changes indicated that the world experienced an average loss of 37.25 million MgC/yr from carbon sink and 17.60 PgC from carbon storage in 2011. Developing regions not only provided land resources to developed regions but also bore the resulting carbon sink and storage losses. To prevent international trade from worsening regional inequalities and spreading environmental impacts, concerted efforts in improving land-use efficiency and conserving carbon stocks are alternative pathways to foster and promote global sustainability.