China’s atmosphere is experiencing severe ozone (O3) pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, posing persistent threats to public health and sustainable development. Previous research has confirmed a synergistic coupling between O3 pollution and CO2 emissions, driven by mutual feedback mechanisms associated with climate warming. To gain a deeper understanding of the contribution of socioeconomic activities, we conducted a multi-parameter analysis of driving forces. In this study, we employed a Structural Equation Model (SEM) to quantify the synergistic control mechanisms for urban O3 pollution and CO2 emissions. The findings revealed that compared to 2014, urban atmospheric O3 concentrations in China significantly increased by 2022, and CO2 emissions mirrored this upward trend. Assessment of health effects showed that the number of all-cause deaths related to O3 pollution was approximately 198 × 103 in 2022. The SEM results indicated that the tertiary industry GDP and secondary industry GDP contribute most substantially to atmospheric O3 pollution and CO2 emissions. This underscored the importance of optimizing industrial structure to reduce environmental impacts. Building upon the exploration of current abatement technologies, we proposed seven recommendations for synergistic control. Our research provides a scientific foundation for the implementation of “Synergistic Pollution Reduction and Carbon Mitigation” in China.
Liu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.