Low carbon transition at the township level: feasibility study of environmental pollutants and sustainable energy planning

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the role of low carbon transition in town planning. This study aims to fill a major research gap by exploring the topic of low carbon planning at the township level. This study is conducted through case study research in China. This study addresses two main stages of ‘target plan’ and ‘pre-masterplan’, which then feeds into a feasibility study comprised of five steps: (1) indicative analysis of CO₂ emissions; (2) computational assessment of pollution dispersion; (3) development of a feasible phasing plan for low-carbon development implementation; (4) proposal for low carbon indicator system at the township level; and (5) detailed low carbon development plan. The findings include a dual carbon management plan and a breakdown of strategies, which are novel at the township level. The results contribute to the development of low-carbon town planning with the consideration of environmental pollutants and sustainable energy planning at the township level.

KEYWORDS:

• Low carbon transition
• pollution dispersion
• township
• sustainable energy planning
• decarbonisation

Acknowledgement

The author would like to express his appreciation to the research team for supporting the simulation, data collection, and analysis. Also, special thanks to the local economic commission in Ningbo, and NSFC for funding project numbers 71850410544 and 71950410760. The author confirms this research study is the expansion from two brief studies in 2016, one that conducted a ‘Feasibility Study of Songao’s Low Carbon Town Planning, China’, and the other that reviewed ‘China's New-Type Urbanisation Plan (NUP) and the foreseeing challenges for decarbonization of cities’. While this research paper benefits from the earlier materials, it stands as a different study that focuses mainly on township regions and the importance of low carbon strategies and sustainable energy planning.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

Note: an integrated framework for energy planning was proposed as part of the overall green energy and energy efficiency strategy of the development areas.

Source: adapted from Cheshmehzangi (2016b).

Source: adapted from Cheshmehzangi (2016b).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71850410544,71950410760]; Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology [grant number 2017A10072].