Carbon Emission Intensity and Its Abatement Choices: A Case of ChinaEastern
研究团队
1.Lei Xu
Economics and Management College, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, PR China
2.Zhenzhen Lu
School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, PR China
3.Zhiping Kang
College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, PR China
4.Yingwen Duan
Economics and Management College, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, PR China
5.Junwei Zhang
School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, PR China
研究简介
随着全球变暖引起广泛关注，如何减少航空运输碳排放成为一个热点问题。本文以中国东方航空公司为例，分析影响航空公司碳排放的主要因素，具体围绕航空公司内部运营指标的影响，如可用座位公里数（ASK）、客座率（PLF）、单位旅客公里油耗、运营飞机平均机龄、准点率（OTP）等，采用回归分析并引入交互项的方法构建模型分析各影响因素对于东方航空碳排放强度的影响关系，结合当前的国内外研究成果及现实发展状况为东航提出具有针对性的碳减排措施：扩大战略联盟、匹配航线和飞机、缓解空域拥堵、新技术飞机引进。
Research background
（1）Since the industrial revolution, the global economy has entered a stage of rapid development, but it is followed by increasingly serious environmental problems. It can be foreseen that if global warming is not prevented, global economic development will be hindered, and human production and living will also be greatly affected. Carbon abatement has become an important research issue.
（2）Due to the attribute of derived demand, the air transport industry is rapidly developing at an average annual growth rate of 5% while the world economy is booming. Air transportation takes fossil fuels as its main energy source, so with its rapid development, fossil fuels are consumed in large quantities.
（3）As one of the three major airlines in China, China Eastern has 785 planes as of the first half of 2023 according to 2023 Half Year Report of China Eastern, achieving revenue while also generating huge carbon emissions.
Fig.1 Total carbon emissions from China Eastern from 2013 to 2022
Research methods and contents
This paper focused on the influence mechanism of the internal operating situation of airlines on carbon emission, conducted multiple linear regression and moderating effect analysis on the operating data and carbon emission intensity of China Eastern, and explored the functional relationship between carbon emission intensity and its influencing factors. Then, we analyzed the effective carbon abatement measures of China Eastern according to the relationship.
Fig.2 Conceptual model diagram
with regression analysis and with consideration for the interactivity of the influencing factors, the basic model was expressed as formula (1).
Finally, the model regression analysis is shown in formula (2).
Conclusions conclusions
Our findings demonstrate that fleet size, average age of per aircraft, and fuel consumption per unit passenger kilometer positively influences the intensity of carbon emissions for China Eastern. However, the PLF has a significant negative impact on carbon emissions. Based on the findings in this paper and some emission reduction technologies employed in the domestic and international aviation industry, we present four suggestions for improving carbon emission efficiency and achieving cleaner production, providing operational and development suggestions to airlines according to the impact mechanism of China Eastern Airlines’ carbon emission intensity in the introduction.
(1) First, by expanding strategic alliances, designing diverse products, and maintaining oversells, China Eastern Airlines can reduce both carbon emissions and carbon intensity.
(2) Second, matching aircraft types with route demand, optimizing the route network, and implementing fuel-saving technologies can decrease fuel consumption per passenger kilometer.
(3) Additionally, resolving airspace congestion, improving runway operations, and enhancing cooperative release mechanisms can improve punctuality.
(4) Finally, introducing new technologies, introducing aircraft with high emission reduction capabilities, and promoting biofuel use can further reduce carbon emissions.
Further work
This paper has encountered certain limitations due to difficulties in obtaining data. First, the analysis is founded on China Eastern’s yearly data from 2013 to 2022. For future research, the dataset can be expanded by including data from additional years or by refining the data on a more frequent basis, such as half-yearly or quarterly. Second, the model utilized in this investigation inadequately incorporates all influencing factors, including route distance and the advanced index of navigation technology. Hence, future research ought to pursue the integration of a more comprehensive set of influencing factors in order to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind aviation’s carbon emission intensity.
全文链接
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16383/pdf
文案 | 路珍珍
编辑 | 陈国辉
审核 | 许垒
跨境电商供应链前沿
中国民航大学跨境电商
供应链管理研究团队