Researching on the Sustainability of Transportation Industry Based on a Coupled Emergy and System Dynamics Model: A Case Study of Qinghai

Haizhen Wu, Weiguo Fan and Jianchang Lu
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Haizhen Wu: Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China
Weiguo Fan: Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China
Jianchang Lu: Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: A series of environmental issues caused by excessive energy consumption in the transportation industry have hindered China’s sustainable development. In this study, an emergy synthesis method was used to analyze the flow of energy. Meanwhile, the emergy yield rate (EYR), environmental load rate (ELR) and emergy sustainability index (ESI) were calculated to evaluate the economic and environmental benefits of the system. In addition, we applied system dynamics to provide a scenario simulation method to compare the emergy indicators of the framework implemented. The paper further put forward some policy insights to improve the sustainability of the transportation system, including adjusting the transportation structure, increasing renewable energy use and promoting a circular economy. The scenario simulation framework based on the sustainable development model of emergy flow can provide a reference for the green development of transportation systems in other regions.

Keywords: transportation; emergy analysis; system dynamics model; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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