Greenhouse\nGas Footprints of Nations Significantly\nReshaped by Sink Changes

In addition to greenhouse gas (GHG)\nemissions by sources, GHG removal\nby sinks is essential in achieving the net zero target by 2050. Both\nthe GHG sources and sinks are influenced by local and remote socioeconomic\nactivities through international trade. However, the impacts of international\ntrade on global net GHG emissions remain unknown. This study estimates\nnet GHG emissions of nations from the consumption perspective, considering\nboth GHG sources and sinks influenced by human activities. Results\nshow that 26% of global net GHG emissions were embodied in international\ntrade. GHG footprints in tropical nations would be significantly underestimated\nif only sources are considered and sink changes are neglected, especially\nin Indonesia (counting 65% of its GHG footprints) and Africa (44%).\nAfter considering sink changes, the consumption of processed foods\nand animal products exerted larger impacts on GHG footprints of tropical\nnations, which is mainly attributed to emissions from forest conversion;\nand the GHG leakage through international trade from tropical nations\n(e.g., Indonesia) to other nations (e.g., India and the United States)\nwas more prominent. These results highlight the importance of sink\nchanges in assessing GHG footprints. They can offer new insights into\nexpediting the achievement of the net zero target.