2 Research on Urbanization and Low-Carbon Development in China
57
2.3.2.5 Urban Energy Intensity and CO 2 Emissions
Energy intensity refers to the energy use per unit of GDP, which is generally measured
as tons of standard coal per 10,000 yuan. It serves as an effective tool to identify the
energy efficiency and the level of energy technology of a city. Lower energy intensity
equates to lower carbon emission per unit of GDP, which, in some measure, helps
contain the growth of urban carbon emissions. Therefore, a reduction in urban energy
intensity has become a consensus among local governments in China, which has
been incorporated in their annual work plans or summary reports. Energy intensity
can be grouped into three categories by sector: energy intensity of the production
sector, energy consumption per unit length of transportation lines and residential
energy intensity. In theory, the decline of energy intensity in a certain sector suggests
its improved energy efficiency. With other factors remaining unchanged, the CO 2
emissions from energy use in the sector are bound to decrease, which means lowering
energy intensity would create negative contribution to CO 2 emissions growth. On
the contrary, increasing energy intensity would positively contribute to pushing up
CO 2 emissions. It’s clear that energy intensity involves many aspects of urban life
and work, and its impact on carbon emissions is the result of multiple factors.
Analysis of changes in energy intensity in China’s prefecture-level cities from
2007 to 2018 suggested a general decline in energy intensity across cities and regions
in China, and a greater drop was detected in central and western regions than in
the east, as shown in Fig. 2.12. In 2007, there was a wide gap of energy intensity
between eastern cities and cities in central and western China. After 2016, the gap
has been dramatically narrowed. This reminds us that energy intensity reduction
and urbanization growth are not at odds. Since urbanization leads to scale-effects of
agglomeration, the reduction of energy use per unit of GDP would surely become the
norm as urbanization grows. But the question of whether this agglomeration would
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Energy intensity (ton/ten thousand)
China's Cities
Eastern Cities
Central Cities
Western Cities
Fig. 2.12 The trend of energy intensity from 2007 to 2018 Data source National bureau of statistics
57
2.3.2.5 Urban Energy Intensity and CO 2 Emissions
Energy intensity refers to the energy use per unit of GDP, which is generally measured
as tons of standard coal per 10,000 yuan. It serves as an effective tool to identify the
energy efficiency and the level of energy technology of a city. Lower energy intensity
equates to lower carbon emission per unit of GDP, which, in some measure, helps
contain the growth of urban carbon emissions. Therefore, a reduction in urban energy
intensity has become a consensus among local governments in China, which has
been incorporated in their annual work plans or summary reports. Energy intensity
can be grouped into three categories by sector: energy intensity of the production
sector, energy consumption per unit length of transportation lines and residential
energy intensity. In theory, the decline of energy intensity in a certain sector suggests
its improved energy efficiency. With other factors remaining unchanged, the CO 2
emissions from energy use in the sector are bound to decrease, which means lowering
energy intensity would create negative contribution to CO 2 emissions growth. On
the contrary, increasing energy intensity would positively contribute to pushing up
CO 2 emissions. It’s clear that energy intensity involves many aspects of urban life
and work, and its impact on carbon emissions is the result of multiple factors.
Analysis of changes in energy intensity in China’s prefecture-level cities from
2007 to 2018 suggested a general decline in energy intensity across cities and regions
in China, and a greater drop was detected in central and western regions than in
the east, as shown in Fig. 2.12. In 2007, there was a wide gap of energy intensity
between eastern cities and cities in central and western China. After 2016, the gap
has been dramatically narrowed. This reminds us that energy intensity reduction
and urbanization growth are not at odds. Since urbanization leads to scale-effects of
agglomeration, the reduction of energy use per unit of GDP would surely become the
norm as urbanization grows. But the question of whether this agglomeration would
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Energy intensity (ton/ten thousand)
China's Cities
Eastern Cities
Central Cities
Western Cities
Fig. 2.12 The trend of energy intensity from 2007 to 2018 Data source National bureau of statistics