RESEARCH ON THE NETWORK-BASED REDISTRIBUTION MECHANISM OF CROSS-BORDER CARBON RESPONSIBILITY IN SCO MEMBER STATES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF “SOVEREIGNTY OF EMBODIED CARBON”

Although global carbon governance largely adheres to a “producer-based” responsibility principle, the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) face a dual disadvantage in international climate negotiations and data accounting: they are frequently labeled as high emitters yet often lack real influence over the institutional rules governing emissions. This study introduces the concept of “Sovereignty of Embodied Carbon”, positing that existing international frameworks insufficiently address the carbon transfer that accompanies cross-border trade in goods and resources. Developing countries that export carbon-intensive products thus bear additional emission burdens without reciprocation in carbon finance or offset mechanisms. Drawing on a multi-layer network approach and a philosophical critique of current governance, this paper constructs a regional reallocation strategy encompassing national sovereignty, supply-chain pathways, and multilateral coordination. We propose institutional innovations - such as “data registry”, a “rotating mechanism”, and “responsibility – based compensation” - to help SCO nations forge complementary cooperation internally while presenting alternative schemes externally, thus challenging the unidirectional, Western-centric assignment of emission obligations. Our findings not only enrich the notion of “common but differentiated responsibilities” but also offer SCO member states concrete pathways to enhance voice and development space in global carbon governance.