Decoupling Relationship Between Land Use Intensity and Carbon Emissions in Henan Province During 2000—2020

Abstract

[Objective] The land use carbon emissions were measured, the decoupling relationship between land use and carbon emissions were determined, and the carbon emission pattern of land use change was revealed in order to provide a scientific basis for the formulation of resource protection and ecological civilization policies. [Methods] The study was conducted in Henan Province, a typical agricultural production center in China having a large population. The evolution characteristics of spatial and temporal patterns of land use carbon emissions and land use intensity at the county scale were determined based on remote sensing monitoring data of the current land use situation during the past 20 years. The decoupling relationship between land use intensity and carbon emissions was determined with the help of a theoretical framework of decoupling analysis. [Results] ① Carbon emissions during the study period showed obvious spatial heterogeneity. Carbon emission levels in central and Northern Henan Province were significantly greater than in other regions. Carbon emissions in the plain areas and areas around large cities were significantly greater than in mountainous and hilly areas. ② Land use intensity continued to increase during the study period, and land use intensity in the central region of Henan Province was significantly greater than in the southern region. The distribution of land use intensity in the northern region of Henan Province showed obvious spatial clustering. ③ The relationship between land use intensity and carbon emissions during the study period was mainly characterized as either expansion negative decoupling and strong decoupling. It is necessary to continuously shift from the double-high model of high resource consumption and high carbon emissions to the low-carbon development model of low resource consumption and low carbon emissions. [Conclusion] There were obvious differences in the degree of decoupling between land use intensity and carbon emissions at different stages and in different regions. Therefore, different control policies should be adopted to promote a coordinated and stable development relationship between ecological environmental protection and economic development.

Keywords

• carbon emissions
• land use
• decoupling analysis
• dual carbon strategy
• henan province