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Analysis of influence mechanism of energy-related carbon emissions in Guangdong: evidence from regional China based on the input-output and structural decomposition analysis

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Abstract

It is important to analyze the influence mechanism of energy-related carbon emissions from a regional perspective to effectively achieve reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions in China. Based on the “energy-economy-carbon emissions” hybrid input-output analysis framework, this study conducted structural decomposition analysis (SDA) on carbon emissions influencing factors in Guangdong Province. Systems-based examination of direct and indirect drivers for regional emission is presented. (1) Direct effects analysis of influencing factors indicated that the main driving factors of increasing carbon emissions were economic and population growth. Carbon emission intensity was the main contributing factor restraining carbon emissions growth. (2) Indirect effects analysis of influencing factors showed that international and interprovincial trades significantly affected the total carbon emissions. (3) Analysis of the effects of different final demands on the carbon emissions of industrial sector indicated that the increase in carbon emission arising from international and interprovincial trades is mainly concentrated in energy- and carbon-intensive industries. (4) Guangdong had to compromise a certain amount of carbon emissions during the development of its export-oriented economy because of industry transfer arising from the economic globalization, thereby pointing to the existence of the “carbon leakage” problem. At the same time, interprovincial export and import resulted in Guangdong transferring a part of its carbon emissions to other provinces, thereby leading to the occurrence of “carbon transfer.”

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41501144, 41671130), the National Key Research and Development Program (No. 2016YFA0602801), the Guangdong Academy of Sciences Youth Science Foundation (qnjj201501), the Foundation of Director of Guangzhou Institute of Geography (030), the High-level Leading Talent Introduction Program of GDAS (2016GDASRC-0101), and the Scientific Platform and Innovation Capability Construction Program of GDAS (2016GDASPT-0210).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Guangdong for Utilization of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Geospatial Information Technology and Application, Guangzhou Institute of Geography, Guangzhou, 510070, China

    Changjian Wang

  2. College of Geography Science and Tourism, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830054, China

    Fei Wang

  3. School of Geographic Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Xinlin Zhang

  4. College of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Haijun Deng

Authors
  1. Changjian Wang
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  2. Fei Wang
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  3. Xinlin Zhang
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  4. Haijun Deng
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Correspondence to Changjian Wang.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Highlights

• Energy-economy-carbon emissions hybrid input-output analysis for regional emission modeling is conducted.

• Comprehensive structural decomposition analysis of temporal variations in regional emission factors is made.

• Systems-based examination of direct and indirect drivers for regional emission is presented.

• How international and interprovincial trades affect regional carbon emission are distinguished.

• Interprovincial carbon emission transfer from developed regions to developing regions is explained.

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Wang, C., Wang, F., Zhang, X. et al. Analysis of influence mechanism of energy-related carbon emissions in Guangdong: evidence from regional China based on the input-output and structural decomposition analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 25190–25203 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0114-z

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