Wealthier Chinese cities shift 42% of EV carbon emissions to poorer regions, study finds

Electric vehicles (EVs), hailed as a solution to urban air pollution, may be inadvertently shifting the environmental burden to less developed regions, according to a new study. Research analyzing over 245 million vehicle registration records in China revealed that EVs in economically advanced cities are responsible for transferring 41.8% of their carbon emissions to poorer urban areas.

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EVs are essential, but not sufficient. To maximize the climate response effect of EVs, we need cleaner power grids, better carbon accounting, and compensation and support policies for cities bearing the transferred emissions.

The study, published in Nature Cities, examined plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in 285 Chinese cities between 2005 and 2021. Unlike internal combustion engine vehicles that emit pollutants directly during operation, EVs' emissions are tied to the source of electricity generation. The research found that as wealthier cities rapidly adopted EVs, the increased demand for electricity was often met by fossil fuel-dependent power plants located in less developed surrounding regions.

Researchers categorized cities into five groups based on per capita GDP. The analysis showed that only the most economically developed group experienced a reduction in EV-related emissions. The other four groups saw their emissions increase, with the top-tier cities effectively exporting their pollution. The study calculated that the top 20% wealthiest cities accounted for 80% of the total emission reduction, while 136 cities became net recipients of emissions.

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To reduce emissions, the power plants supplying electricity to EVs must also use clean energy. Otherwise, there is a risk that the carbon emitted from vehicle exhaust pipes will be transferred to power plant chimneys.

This phenomenon is particularly evident in regions like Beijing, Tianjin, and the Yangtze River Delta, where emissions are transferred to neighboring areas with a higher reliance on coal-fired power plants, especially in northern cities. The findings underscore a critical issue: the existing socioeconomic inequalities are being mirrored and potentially exacerbated in climate policies. While China has been a global leader in EV adoption, this study suggests that the environmental benefits are not equitably shared, highlighting the need for more comprehensive carbon accounting and policies that address the compensatory costs borne by less developed regions.

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The transfer of carbon emissions related to electric vehicles requires a more cautious approach to sharing reduction responsibilities. It is necessary to explicitly acknowledge the additional carbon costs borne by less developed regions.