The nexus of disaggregated energy sources and cement production carbon emission in China

Cement production reportedly accounts for the largest global materials flow, thus achieving global environmental sustainability through responsible consumption and production is central to the sustainable development scenario. But even that China, the world's largest carbon emitter and largest cement producer, is under-studied. Thus, the current study employed the nonlinear ARDL and frequency domain causality methods to unearth the contributory or mitigating role of energy sources and economic progress in China's cement carbon emission (CCE) over the period 1971-2020. Overall, the study establishes long-run equilibrium relationship between the study variables of interest Subsequently, the baseline regression suggests that a positive shift in economic growth, energy from fossil fuel and primary energy consumption all increase emissions while a negative shift does not have a significant effect on emissions. Moreover, a positive (negative) shift in renewable energy decreases (increases) emissions in both the short and long-run. The result of the Frequency Domain causality analysis resonates with the results of NARDL regression. As a policy, this study infers energy development and economic-related measures are strategically important in achieving sustainable cement production and consumption.

Automated summary

This study employs nonlinear ARDL and frequency domain causality methods to investigate the contributions and mitigating effects of energy sources and economic progress on China's cement carbon emissions. The findings suggest that economic growth, energy from fossil fuels, and primary energy consumption all contribute to emissions, while renewable energy has a decreasing effect on emissions.