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Population aging reduces carbon emissions: Evidence from China's latest three censuses

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  • Zhou, Yang
  • Wang, Heng
  • Qiu, Huanguang

Abstract

Population aging inevitably exerts impacts on socio-economic and environmental systems. However, the relationship between aging and environmental change remains controversial. Using population censuses containing economic and carbon emissions data from 2774 counties in China (2000,2010,2020), we employed the STIRPAT, panel threshold regression, and mediating effect models to investigate the relationship between population aging and carbon emissions. Results showed that the aging of China's population has had a statistically significant impact on carbon emissions, showing an inverted U-shaped nonlinear relationship in which carbon emissions first increase and decrease with aging, with the aging rate of 3.2% as the inflection point. Since 2000, the aging rate of most counties in China has exceeded this inflection point.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Yang & Wang, Heng & Qiu, Huanguang, 2023. "Population aging reduces carbon emissions: Evidence from China's latest three censuses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:351:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923011637
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121799
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