Collaborative Analysis and Path Exploration of Atmospheric VOCs and Carbon Emissions in Textile Industry Enterprises: A Case Study of Suzhou

Abstract

Achieving synergistic effects in pollution reduction and carbon mitigation is of great significance for promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. This study focuses on the textile industry in a specific city, aiming to (1) analyze the energy consumption and pollutant emission characteristics of the textile industry in a district of Suzhou from 2017 to 2021; (2) conduct carbon accounting for 18 typical textile enterprises using the emission factor method with extended accounting boundaries; and (3) explore targeted low-carbon collaborative control pathways for pollution and carbon reduction. The results show that from 2017 to 2021, the proportion of raw coal in the comprehensive energy consumption of the textile industry in the city decreased annually to 35.68%, while the proportion of natural gas increased to 13.96%. The adoption of natural gas significantly reduced carbon emissions. The industry’s total output value rose markedly, while energy consumption intensity declined noticeably. The production and emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generally decreased, with the proportion of final combustion emissions of VOCs in carbon accounting being relatively low (0–19.79%). Based on the findings, this study provides strategic foundations for collaborative governance, including optimizing energy structures, substituting VOC-containing raw materials, and improving production processes.