Journal of Industrial Ecology最新文献

As an energy-intensive sector, the low-carbon transformation of the steel sector plays a crucial role in achieving China's carbon neutrality goals. Therefore, exploring how learning strategies and incentive mechanisms can synergistically promote the transformation of production and energy structure in the steel sector toward net-zero emissions is an urgent practical problem that needs to be solved. This study constructed an integrated evaluation framework that combines an improved dynamic computable general equilibrium model with input–output analysis and ecological network analysis, and incorporates learning strategies, carbon taxes, subsidies, carbon trading and other incentive mechanisms into the model to deeply analyze the transformation path of the steel sector in different scenarios. The research not only focuses on the low-carbon transformation of the steel sector but also comprehensively analyzes the evolution of CO₂ emission metabolism and reveals the complex internal interactions under the background of emission dynamics through a multidimensional network perspective. The results indicate that the steel sector's production and energy structures have significantly changed by implementing incentive mechanisms and introducing learning strategies. In the scenario where carbon taxes, subsidies, and learning strategies work together, it is expected that by 2060, the share of short-process steelmaking will reach 52.2%, while the proportion of carbon capture and storage equipped in long-process will exceed 10%. At this time, the short-process sector's control over other sectors and dependence on the system will increase.

The efficiency of low-carbon energy transition (LET) critically influences the socioeconomic costs of achieving carbon neutrality. Assessing and improving the LET efficiency thus become relevant. Process complexity and multiple uncertainties significantly impact the effective advancement of LET. Therefore, this paper devises a novel efficiency assessment framework for LET, where the entire complex process of LET from energy production to energy consumption is modeled, while accounting for inherent uncertainties in energy systems. Then, to implement the efficiency calculation, we further develop a robust network data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, which extends conventional network DEA models by introducing data uncertainties of intermediate indicators and the general nested-network structure. The proposed approach thus can robustly measure the overall efficiency of the entire LET process while further examining the coordination status of its subprocesses. Applied to study the LET efficiency across coastal and inland provinces in China from 2015 to 2023, the results show that southeastern coastal provinces lead the efficient LET in China, with the optimal internal coordination. Uncertainties hinder the upward trend of China's LET efficiency and exacerbate inland regional disparities. These results offer valuable insights for designing measures to enhance and balance LET practices across regions.

The circular economy (CE) plays a vital role in transforming our current economic system into a more sustainable one. However, effectively implementing circular strategies and actions within organizations is a complex endeavor. It requires managing or developing diverse capabilities across the organization and its entire ecosystem, including the purposeful use of digital technologies and data, investment decisions, and knowledge sharing about products and materials. Drawing on more than 600 min of expert interview recordings and an analysis of 37 sustainability reports from the automotive industry, this paper examines the dynamic capabilities that support the implementation of circularity in organizations. We propose a framework in the form of a capability map that includes 74 specific microfoundations that help organizations to engage, manage, and reflect while implementing circular activities. This paper complements existing tools for organizational transitions, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on circularity strategy implementation, and lays the foundation for more effective CE practices in the industry.

This study examines carbon inclusion as an innovative policy mechanism for addressing consumer-side emissions within industrial ecosystems. Carbon inclusion quantifies and incentivizes individual low-carbon behaviors, bridging consumer choices and industrial transformation. Using longitudinal analysis of China's green consumption and carbon inclusion policies (2013–2024), combined with text mining and expert interviews, we investigate how carbon inclusion complements broader green consumption initiatives. Findings reveal that green consumption policies focused on a wide range of themes, while carbon inclusion policies emphasized digital platforms, emission reduction projects, and public participation, forming market-oriented connections between consumer behavior and industrial systems. While green consumption relies on regulatory and economic instruments across diverse themes, carbon inclusion emphasizes network-based and communicative approaches to foster climate engagement. It extends industrial ecology into consumption by translating individual behaviors in areas like transport, food, and housing into measurable carbon credits circulating within the economy. Implementation across multiple Chinese cities demonstrates various governance models, including those led by government, financial institutions, and enterprises. Both policy types could benefit from innovative instruments such as green nudges to increase effectiveness. Carbon inclusion represents a promising framework for integrating individual actions with industrial ecology, contributing to a sustainable system transformation by linking behavior change with structural shifts.

Electric micromobility, or e-scooters and e-bikes, has undergone a rapid expansion in recent years. These micromobility devices, while lighter and less resource intensive than electric cars, still rely on different critical raw materials (CRMs). In this paper, we build a dynamic material flow model for shared e-scooters and private e-bikes in Finland, with an emphasis on their batteries, as they contain many CRMs. We combine this model with future scenarios for recycling efficiency and battery chemistries. The results show that the requirements of the European Battery Regulation concerning waste batteries can be met with reasonable end-of-life (EOL) collection rates (e.g., 57% of EOL e-bike batteries collected in 2028 and 67% in 2031). To satisfy the future demand of micromobility devices, the contribution of recycled materials from micromobility batteries can be substantial, over 95% for cobalt and nickel in 2035. This is because nickel manganese cobalt batteries are expected to be partly replaced by lithium iron phosphate batteries that do not require any cobalt or nickel. This evolution has the potential to increase the resilience of micromobility systems in cities by decreasing the reliance on the global supply chains of these elements. The main sources of uncertainty in our analysis are the lifetime of batteries and EOL collection and recovery rates.

This study aims to comprehensively evaluate Vietnam's resource efficiency to support sustainable development by developing and applying an integrated resource efficiency assessment framework (IREAF). Since the 1990s, Vietnam's economy has undergone rapid development, resulting in unprecedented growth in resource consumption and environmental pressures. To address this, we propose a multidimensional framework that combines economy-wide material flow analysis, IPAT-based decomposition, and environmental impact indicators. Using national-scale data from 1990 to 2021, this study shows that domestic material consumption increased by over eight times, with construction materials dominating. Net additions to stock remained high, reflecting large-scale infrastructure expansion. Limited absolute decoupling between economic growth and resource use was shown throughout the period, although material productivity has slightly improved since 2015. Our decomposition analysis highlights affluence per urban resident and urbanization as key drivers of escalating resource inflow, while efficiency gains have sometimes offset these pressures. The IREAF framework enables holistic monitoring of material, energy, and water flows and can guide policy through hotspot identification and efficiency benchmarking. The findings underscore the need for stronger policies on circular economy practices, data collection, and green-growth incentives. For other emerging economies, this study's approach provides a replicable model to enhance sustainable resource management.

The production of iron and steel poses numerous sustainability challenges, including the often-overlooked environmental impact of iron ore mining through its land use. Although the global area affected is small, iron ore mining involves intensive land exploitation, with sites typically located far from steel users, creating a disconnect between impacts and beneficiaries. This study overcomes this disconnect by applying a consumption-based footprint perspective to quantify land-related pressures and impacts of mining, providing quantitative evidence for debates about responsibility and impact mitigation. A multi-regional physical input–output model of global iron-steel supply chains is extended with geospatial data on biomes, mining-related land use, and associated impacts (human appropriation of net primary production). The results show that the majority of mining-related land impacts are attributable to steel use in China and Europe (48% and 16%, respectively). Per-capita indicators reveal that China ranks fourth in terms of steel use, but first in embodied land impacts, which is due to its high indirect iron ore requirement per unit of steel use (3.28 t/t). If China were to match Japan's indirect iron ore requirement (1.70 t/t), its mining-land impacts could decrease by 59%. Notably, 71% of China's embodied land impacts occur domestically, offering greater control over impact mitigation than other regions. Europe, the region with the largest share of tropical biomes in its embodied iron ore imports (39.5%), bears significant responsibility for mining-related impacts in these ecologically vulnerable regions. We highlight policy implications, especially for China and Europe, and conclude with a discussion of the modeling approach. This article met the requirements for a gold-gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Driven by population growth, industrialization, and climate change, drinking water has become more scarce. The linear economy approach of extracting, using, and disposing of water has worsened the scarcity of this limited resource. To facilitate the transition to a circular economy, water circularity indicators are needed. Previous research on water circularity was limited to developing indicators that covered one or two stages of the water supply chain or considered the entire water system as an integrated entity. This study sets a new agenda and approach by developing a water circularity indicator dashboard to assess circularity at each stage of the water supply chain and across waste hierarchy options. This dashboard was used in a case study in South Africa to demonstrate a practical way of measuring water circularity at each stage of the water life cycle. The results indicate gaps in practicing or reporting reusing, recycling and reclaiming across the water supply chain. The dashboard approach is an effective tool that will help water practitioners, stakeholders, and decision-makers monitor, identify gaps and opportunities, and maximize circularity at each stage of the water supply chain.