Article in Nature communications: Physical and virtual carbon metabolism of global cities | Klaus Hubacek
Authors: Shaoqing Chen, Bin Chen, Kuishuang Feng, Zhu Liu, Neil Fromer, Xianchun Tan, Ahmed Alsaedi, Tasawar Hayat, Helga Weisz, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber & Klaus Hubacek.
Journal: Nature Communications, volume 11, Article number: 182 (2020)
Abstract
Urban activities have profound and lasting effects on the global carbon balance. Here we develop a consistent metabolic approach that combines two complementary carbon accounts, the physical carbon balance and the fossil fuel-derived gaseous carbon footprint, to track carbon coming into, being added to urban stocks, and eventually leaving the city. We find that over 88% of the physical carbon in 16 global cities is imported from outside their urban boundaries, and this outsourcing of carbon is notably amplified by virtual emissions from upstream activities that contribute 33–68% to their total carbon inflows. While 13–33% of the carbon appropriated by cities is immediately combusted and released as CO2, between 8 and 24% is stored in durable household goods or becomes part of other urban stocks. Inventorying carbon consumed and stored for urban metabolism should be given more credit for the role it can play in stabilizing future global climate.
More information
More information
Last modified: | 19 July 2022 4.51 p.m. |
More news
-
30 September 2025
Lieutenant General Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan awarded the Aletta Jacobs Prize 2026
The University of Groningen (UG) has awarded the Aletta Jacobs Prize 2026 to Elanor Boekholt-O’Sullivan, the first female lieutenant general in the Dutch armed forces. The prize will be presented on Friday 6 March 2026 by the Rector Magnificus of...
-
15 September 2025
Successful visit to the UG by Rector of Institut Teknologi Bandung
The Rector of Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Prof Tatacipta Dirgantara, paid a 3-day visit to the UG.
-
04 July 2025
University of Groningen awards various prizes during Ceremony of Merits
The UG awarded different prizes to excellent researchers and students during the Ceremony of Merits on 4 July 2025.