Carbon emission transfer and shared responsibility allocation in the supply chain: Evidence from the construction sector in China

Abstract

Accurate allocation of carbon emission responsibilities within the construction supply chain lays the foundation for formulating carbon reduction policies. This study proposes a supply chain responsibility sharing framework to elucidate the emission responsibilities of upstream and downstream sectors within China's construction supply chain, along with the regional distribution results. The findings reveal significant disparities in carbon emission transfer and responsibility within the construction supply chain. Specifically, upstream sectors, the construction sector itself, and downstream sectors account for 31.6 %, 66.3 %, and 2.1 % of carbon emissions, respectively. Among them, the Nonmetal Mineral Products sector is identified as the primary source of carbon emission transfer, contributing 13.983 Mt carbon emissions to the construction sector. Regarding regional responsibilities, the provinces of Hubei, Zhejiang, and Hunan bear the highest emission responsibilities within the construction supply chain, amounting to 4.002 Mt, 3.883 Mt, and 3.860 Mt, respectively. Furthermore, the construction sector's shared responsibility accounts for 65.8 % of producer responsibility and 55.6 % of consumer responsibility, respectively. Finally, this study suggests implications for tailored policies among regions to promote carbon mitigation in the construction supply chain.