China experiences reduction in food system inequality and carbon footprint alongside economic development

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Humans have persistent food needs that trigger considerable greenhouse gas emissions, varying significantly by region. However, the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and inequality in the food system are not well assessed within countries.

Prof. Deng Xiangzheng's team at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), quantified China's national and sub-national food GHG footprints from 2007 to 2017, revealing a decline in both national and provincial per capita footprints.

Further analysis of the data showed that, despite notable inequalities among households in provincial-level regions, China has experienced a reduction in inequality alongside economic development. The study was published in Cell Reports Sustainability.

The researchers first compiled a GHG emission inventory covering dozens of economic sectors. They then estimated the food GHG footprints of households across 10 income groups at the provincial level in China from 2007 to 2017, using a multiregional input–output model. Finally, they assessed regional and inter-household inequality using the Gini coefficient.

By adopting a comprehensive assessment framework, the researchers identified GHG emission contributions at different life-cycle stages of the food system and facilitated the analysis of food GHG footprints and inequality at the sub-national level.

In addition, the researchers observed a decline in the national per capita food footprints from 0.66 to 0.53 tCO₂-equivalent, with a similar declining pattern observed across the majority of provinces. Variances in food GHG footprints among households were also highlighted.

Notably, regions with higher levels of affluence exhibited lower levels of inequality compared to economically disadvantaged areas. The national food GHG footprint Gini coefficient declined from 0.356 to 0.339 with economic development, and almost all provinces, except for Shaanxi, showed similar trends.

These findings highlight a reduction in inequality of China's household food GHG footprints along with economic development, showing the differences among various income groups and national improvement in food GHG footprint inequality.

This study offers a foundation for the equitable allocation of responsibilities in emission reduction within the food system, emphasizing the pivotal role of economic development in mitigating emissions inequality and aligning with the overarching goal of achieving a net-zero emission target.

More information: Gang Liu et al, Economic development lowering inequality in China's household food greenhouse gas footprints, Cell Reports Sustainability (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100259. www.cell.com/cell-reports-sust … 2949-7906(24)00420-8

Provided by Chinese Academy of Sciences