Shang Zhang

Profile

My research focuses on economy-wide carbon and material footprint accounting, with particular interests in multi-regional input-output modelling, life cycle assessment, material flow analysis, and the role of global supply chains in driving environmental impacts.

I received interdisciplinary training in environmental science and environmental engineering, with a PhD from Tsinghua University. My doctoral research developed integrated modelling approaches to quantify embedded plastic flows and associated carbon emissions across international trade and global value chains. This work combined physical input-output material flow analysis, multi-regional input-output modelling, and sectoral footprint accounting to examine how plastics are produced, consumed, traded, and ultimately transferred across economies.

Before joining the University of Leeds, I worked in international environmental governance and policy processes as a Programme Associate at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and previously at the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific. My work supported intergovernmental negotiations, circular economy initiatives, plastic pollution governance, zero-waste strategies, and science-policy communication. This experience has shaped my research interest in producing policy-relevant evidence that can support more effective environmental decision-making.

My current research contributes to the PACT Centre, where I work on improving carbon accounting methods to better understand the environmental implications of production and consumption systems. I am particularly interested in advancing sector disaggregation methods in MRIO models, developing more transparent and flexible tools for footprint analysis, and linking detailed supply-chain evidence with policy questions around industrial transition, consumption-based emissions, and sustainable resource use.

Research interests

My research interests lie at the intersection of environmental systems modelling, carbon accounting, circular economy, and international environmental policy. I am particularly interested in developing robust, transparent and policy-relevant methods to understand environmental pressures embedded in production, consumption and trade.

My research interests include, but are not limited to:

Carbon and material footprint accounting
Developing and applying MRIO, LCA and MFA approaches to quantify carbon emissions, material flows, and environmental impacts across sectors, products and supply chains.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scib.2025.01.031

Multi-regional input-output modelling and sector disaggregation
Improving the resolution and policy relevance of MRIO models through sectoral, product-level and supply-chain disaggregation methods, and using MRIO analysis to trace embodied carbon, material flows and environmental impact transfers across international trade.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11220

Plastic footprint and circular economy
Assessing embedded plastic flows, plastic-related carbon emissions, recycling potential, and the role of circular economy strategies in reducing environmental impacts.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c04814

Science-policy interface for environmental governance
Translating complex environmental modelling results into evidence that can support policymaking, particularly in areas such as plastic pollution, zero waste, resource efficiency and climate action.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c11220

Qualifications

• PhD, Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University
• BEng, Resources Recycling Science and Engineering, Nankai University
• BEcon, Finance, Nankai University