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Does Off-Farm Employment Promote the Low-Carbon Energy Intensity in China’s Rural Households?

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  • Ping Wang

    (School of Management, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
    Energy Economy and Management Research Center, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
    Shaanxi Province Energy Industry Green and Low-Carbon Development Soft Science Research Base, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Shen-Li Li

    (School of Management, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
    Energy Economy and Management Research Center, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China)

  • Shao-Hui Zou

    (School of Management, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
    Energy Economy and Management Research Center, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
    Shaanxi Province Energy Industry Green and Low-Carbon Development Soft Science Research Base, Xi’an 710054, China)

Abstract

A study linking the two economic and social phenomena of rural labor force migration and energy transition can help analyze the underlying causes of rural “Energy Poverty”. However, how off-farm employment affects household low-carbon energy consumption and its potential mechanisms requires further research. Using 1351 sampled rural households from the “Rural Energy, Population Transfer and Well-being” survey in 2018 and 2021 to explore response mechanisms through which off-farm employment can influence low-carbon energy intensity. Utilizing the multivariate regression, Sobel test, and moderating effect test, the results demonstrate that off-farm employment, including short-term and long-term off-farm employment, significantly increases the intensity of low-carbon energy use among rural households. Specifically, long-term off-farm employment tends to have a greater positive contribution to the low-carbon energy intensity than short-term off-farm employment. Furthermore, off-farm employment can affect household low-carbon energy intensity through the total income, and effect of the surrounding people in the off-farm employment process also increases their consumption intensity. The research reveals that the rural energy revolution under the constraints of “Carbon Neutral” and “Carbon Peak” should relate to the off-farm development of rural households to achieve “Precise Energy Poverty Alleviation”.

Suggested Citation

  • Ping Wang & Shen-Li Li & Shao-Hui Zou, 2023. "Does Off-Farm Employment Promote the Low-Carbon Energy Intensity in China’s Rural Households?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:5:p:2375-:d:1085093
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Koomson, Isaac & Orkoh, Emmanuel & Ahmad, Shabbir, 2023. "Non-farm entrepreneurship, caste, and energy poverty in rural India," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).

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