Divergent Energy-Climate Nexus in the Global Fuel Combustion Processes

Fuel combustion provides basic energy for the society but also produces CO2 and incomplete combustion products that threaten human survival, climate change, and global sustainability. A variety of fuels burned in different facilities expectedly have distinct impacts on climate, which remains to be quantitatively assessed. This study uses updated emission inventories and an earth system model to evaluate absolute and relative contributions in combustion emission-associated climate forcing by fuels, sectors, and regions. We showed that, from 1970 to 2014, coal burned in the energy sector and oil used in the transportation sector contributed comparable energies consumed (24 and 20% of the total) but had distinct climate forcing (1 and 40%, respectively). Globally, coal burned for energy production had negative impacts on climate forcing but positive effects in the residential sector. In many developing countries, coal combustion in the energy sector had negative radiative forcing (RF) per unit energy consumed due to insufficient controls on sulfur and scattering aerosol levels, but oils in the transportation sector had high positive RF values. These results had important implications on the energy transition and emission reduction actions in response to climate change. Distinct climate efficiencies of energies and the spatial heterogeneity implied differentiated energy utilization strategies and pollution control policies by region and sector.

Automated summary

Fuel combustion provides basic energy for the society but also produces CO2 and incomplete combustion products that threaten human survival, climate change, and global sustainability. This study evaluates the absolute and relative contributions of different fuels, sectors, and regions to combustion emission-associated climate forcing using updated emission inventories and an earth system model. The results have important implications for energy transition and emission reduction actions to combat climate change, as different fuels and sectors have distinct climate efficiencies and spatial heterogeneity requires differentiated energy utilization strategies and pollution control policies by region and sector.