This article aims to provide a better understanding of the contribution of material efficiency (ME) improvements to climate mitigation from an economy‐wide perspective. We employ the Global Trade and Environment Model to investigate and quantify the part played by ME gains at different stages of the supply chain and in different sectors of the economy to an economy‐wide reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our study focuses on three material categories: iron and steel, non‐ferrous metals, and non‐metallic minerals for construction. We find that ME improvements in iron and steel production and consumption processes can contribute to reducing GHG emissions, but only by a small amount. Eco‐design and novel technologies that use less materials in general, can also contribute to GHG emission reduction. Such mitigation potential is especially large for the construction of buildings and infrastructure due to the sector's massive use of non‐metallic minerals with a large climate impact (e.g., cement). However, process efficiency and reduced demand for the three materials do not necessarily lead to reduced GHG emissions on an economy‐wide level and can even result in increased GHG emissions due to a rebound effect in other sectors and other processes. As expected, ME policies were more effective for climate mitigation when combined with a more sustainable socio‐economic pathway.

中文翻译：

---

在整个经济水平上，部门材料效率的提高是否可以总计减少温室气体排放？

本文旨在从整个经济的角度更好地了解材料效率（ME）的提高对缓解气候变化的贡献。我们采用全球贸易和环境模型来调查和量化在供应链的不同阶段和经济的不同部门中，ME收益在整个经济范围内减少温室气体（GHG）排放所起的作用。我们的研究集中于三种材料类别：钢铁，有色金属和建筑用非金属矿物。我们发现，钢铁生产和消费过程中ME的改进可有助于减少温室气体排放，但幅度很小。通常使用较少材料的生态设计和新颖技术也可有助于减少温室气体排放。由于该行业大量使用对气候有重大影响的非金属矿物（例如水泥），这种缓解潜力对于建筑物和基础设施的建设尤其巨大。但是，工艺效率和对这三种材料的需求减少并不一定会导致整个经济水平的温室气体排放量减少，甚至可能由于其他行业和其他过程的反弹效应而导致温室气体排放量增加。不出所料，与更可持续的社会经济途径相结合，ME政策对于缓解气候变化更为有效。流程效率和对这三种材料的需求减少并不一定会导致整个经济水平的温室气体排放量减少，甚至可能由于其他行业和其他流程的反弹效应而导致温室气体排放量增加。不出所料，与更可持续的社会经济途径相结合，ME政策对于缓解气候变化更为有效。流程效率和对这三种材料的需求减少并不一定会导致整个经济水平的温室气体排放量减少，甚至可能由于其他行业和其他流程的反弹效应而导致温室气体排放量增加。不出所料，与更可持续的社会经济途径相结合，ME政策对于缓解气候变化更为有效。