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Residential Energy Sustainability in China and Germany: The Impact of National Energy Policy System

Author

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  • Chunhong Sheng

    (China Center for Special Economic Zone Research, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China)

  • Yun Cao

    (School of Governance, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany)

  • Bing Xue

    (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. (IASS), 14467 Potsdam, Germany)

Abstract

The energy consumption and carbon emission of Chinese households is growing rapidly and will continue to do so for the near future. Currently, Chinese energy policies mainly focus on the industrial sector instead of the residential sector. Among industrialized countries, Germany has performed relatively well in the residential sector, which can provide valuable lessons for China. This paper investigates the policy-making, implementation, and resulting patterns of Chinese and German residential energy policies from a multi-level perspective. The policy system study provides a holistic view over the factors influencing residential energy sustainability. The main findings are: (1) the German residential energy policy system follows a hybrid policy model, combining top-down and bottom-up policy designs, with more demand-side or market-oriented policies, and a high level of public participation, resulting in remarkable headway toward sustainability in the residential energy sector; and (2) the Chinese energy policy system is characterized by top-down, supply-side oriented market policies with limited public participation. The policy implication of this study for China is to shift its top-down policy paradigm to a hybrid policy model that facilitates public participation in the residential energy sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Chunhong Sheng & Yun Cao & Bing Xue, 2018. "Residential Energy Sustainability in China and Germany: The Impact of National Energy Policy System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4535-:d:186968
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chenyu Lu & Peng Meng & Xueyan Zhao & Lu Jiang & Zilong Zhang & Bing Xue, 2019. "Assessing the Economic-Environmental Efficiency of Energy Consumption and Spatial Patterns in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, January.
    2. Yu Hao & Shang Gao & Yunxia Guo & Zhiqiang Gai & Haitao Wu, 2021. "Measuring the nexus between economic development and environmental quality based on environmental Kuznets curve: a comparative study between China and Germany for the period of 2000–2017," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(11), pages 16848-16873, November.
    3. Shuxin Mao & Sha Qiu & Tao Li & Mingfang Tang & Hongbing Deng & Hua Zheng, 2020. "Using Characteristic Energy to Study Rural Ethnic Minorities’ Household Energy Consumption and Its Impact Factors in Chongqing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-14, August.
    4. Lu Jiang & Xingpeng Chen & Bing Xue, 2019. "Features, Driving Forces and Transition of the Household Energy Consumption in China: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Luiza Ossowska & Dorota Janiszewska & Natalia Bartkowiak-Bakun & Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, 2020. "Energy Consumption Versus Greenhouse Gas Emissions in EU," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3), pages 185-198.
    6. Minkyu Kim & Chankook Park, 2021. "Academic Topics Related to Household Energy Consumption Using the Future Sign Detection Technique," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-24, December.

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