Emergy network analysis of Chinese sectoral ecological sustainability

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.228
• Publication Date: 2017-10-30T20:45:38Z
• Authors: Xiaoqi Sun; Haizhong An
• Keywords: Emergy; Input–output model; Environmental Sustainability Index

Abstract Ecological sustainability of the Chinese economy is vital for China as well as for the world. By integrating environmental input-output analysis, emergy theory, and a complex network model into one framework, this paper explores Chinese sectoral ecological sustainability with the most recent 2012 input-output table. The results show that there are significant differences in emergy intensities among sectors. The non-metal mining sector is the most emergy-intensive sector at 6.06E+17 sej/10000 Yuan, followed by the metal mining sector. Additionally, output connections have a positive impact on the emergy yield ratio, input connections exert a negative impact on the emergy yield ratio, and PageRank centrality has a positive effect on the environmental loading ratio. This paper updates the Chinese sectoral emergy assessment, identifies key sectors in the Chinese ecological network, and analyzes the impact of network indicators on sectoral emergy performance. These analyses will be useful in updating the guide for adjusting industrial structure in China.