Special Issue

Topic: Global Disparities in Carbon Emissions and Footprints

A Special Issue of Carbon Footprints

ISSN 2831-932X (Online)

Submission deadline: 20 Mar 2025

Guest Editor(s)

Prof. Kai Fang

School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Assoc. Prof. Yuli Shan

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Dr. Mo Li

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Dr. Yuru Guan

Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.

Guest Editor Assistant(s)

Dr. Siqi Wang

School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Special Issue Introduction

Carbon emissions and footprints are generated by all nations, yet the repercussions of climate change are not distributed evenly. Even smaller economies with minimal emissions and footprints bear the brunt of climate change's severe impacts. This disparity underscores the need for climate governance to address issues of justice and equality. Current discourses on this topic encompass the uneven geographical distribution of carbon emissions/footprints, the unequal allocation of mitigation responsibilities, and the unequal sharing of climate risks. Given that carbon emissions/footprints are closely tied to human activities such as production and consumption, climate action has implications not only for climate justice but also for social equity. Therefore, interpreting climate justice and clarifying its relationship with social inequalities are important for addressing climate change and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Special Issue will focus on global climate justice and carbon inequality. Proposed topics include, but are not limited to:

● Global disparities in carbon emissions and/or footprints from multiple dimensions;
● Pathways, strategies, and technologies for mitigating carbon inequality;
● Translation of climate justice into climate action at multiple scales;
● Impacts of climate governance on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
● Opportunities, challenges, and policy implications for aligning climate governance with SDGs.