The relationship between natural resource use and climate change is complex and interdependent. Energy-intensive industrial activities significantly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which drive climate change. On the other hand, the impacts of climate change, such as more frequent and severe natural disasters and pressing societal demand for climate action, affect the availability and quality of resources and, sometimes, make their extraction and use more difficult and expensive.
To mitigate these impacts, industrial systems need to transition towards more sustainable practices, such as reducing resource use, developing low-carbon technologies, and improving material efficiency. It requires a systemic and nexus approach, taking into account the interlinkages between resource use and climate change and the need for collaboration across different sectors and stakeholders. Two case studies on sectoral GHG mitigation will be presented: 1) water supply and wastewater treatment; 2) Steel production and use. This will be followed by recent discussions on the raw material supply for the energy transition.
Bio: Dr. Qian Zhang is an assistant professor in the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining at Queen's University. He leads a research group at Queen's to foster strategic management of sustainability and resilience challenges in the mining value chain. Previously, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow for the University of Victoria and the University of Tokyo and as a part-time consultant for the World Resources Institute (WRI). Zhang's research interests are climate change mitigation, environmental and natural resource management, and urban sustainability. His research focuses on methodological advances in greenhouse gas accounting, carbon footprint analysis, and life-cycle assessment.
Zhang earned a Ph.D. in Urban Engineering from the University of Tokyo. He also holds an MSc in Environmental Science, a BSc in Environmental Science, and a Minor in Economics, all from Peking University.