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Interregional differences of coal carbon dioxide emissions in China

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  • Chen, Jiandong
  • Cheng, Shulei
  • Song, Malin
  • Wang, Jia

Abstract

Coal is one of the main fuel sources in China. This paper sheds light on the evolution of China's interregional differences in CO2 emissions from coal by constructing a Gini coefficient and decoupling elasticity index for emissions from 1997 to 2012 and explains why emission differences deviate from economic growth differences. The study decomposed the Gini coefficient of CO2 emissions from coal by source, incremental source, and region. It also divided the decoupling elasticity of carbon emissions into two components: effects of environmental expenditure and effects of emission reduction policy. The findings of the study are as follows: First, interregional differences in China's overall CO2 emissions from coal are characterized by periodic fluctuation. Second, the differences in emissions from raw coal, the concentration effect of emissions, and the emission differences within regions are the three main factors in the overall difference changes in coal's carbon emissions in China. Last but not least, the decoupling between provincial CO2 emissions from coal and economic growth is on the whole weak. Based on the above findings, the author offers four suggestions for emission reduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Jiandong & Cheng, Shulei & Song, Malin & Wang, Jia, 2016. "Interregional differences of coal carbon dioxide emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 1-13.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:96:y:2016:i:c:p:1-13
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2016.05.015
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CO2 Emissions from Coal; Interregional differences; Carbon emission Gini coefficient; Decoupling elasticity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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