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J. Wu and H. Zhao
negatively affect energy intensity due to over-saturation of cities is subject to further
debate.
The empirical results (the row of lnEI in Table 2.1) revealed major impact of
urban energy intensity on carbon dioxide emissions, which is larger than that of
urban population, industrial structure, foreign investment, etc. For every 1% reduction in urban energy intensity across the country, carbon dioxide emissions would
go down by 0.611%, meaning that energy intensity is of crucial significance to
regional carbon emissions. The priority of cutting urban greenhouse gas emissions
in China lies in reducing energy intensity and improving energy efficiency. In addition, greater impact of energy intensity on carbon emissions was found in central
cities than in their eastern and western counterparts. This might be explained by the
role of central cities as the recipient of industrial transfer from eastern China and
abroad as well as the rising share of secondary industry in local GDP with industrial
restructuring. In the future, central cities need to reduce the weight of heavy industries in the economy, curtail high-intensity demand of the heavy chemical industry
for fossil energy, promote the application of energy-saving and emission-reduction
technologies, and enhance efficiency of energy utilization.
2.4 Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
for Low-Carbon Development During China’s
Urbanization
Urbanization in China has been characterized by rising carbon emissions, huge
energy consumption and greater eco-environment pressure than that of developed
world, and has been troubled by the lock-in effect of vast industrial production
capacity and infrastructure, among other low-carbon challenges. This chapter begins
with a diagnosis of the historical interactions between China’s urbanization and
carbon emissions, and proceeds to explore the impact mechanism of urbanization on
carbon emissions. Finally, the panel data of 144 cities from 2007 to 2018 are taken
as samples for assessing the regional differences of the impact and how the impact
is enforced. Research findings are listed below:
(1) At the national level, the evolution of both carbon emissions and urbanization
can be divided into three stages, with the two sharing the same trajectory of
changes. Growth in urbanization has been accompanied by rising carbon emissions. From the regional standpoint, China’s urbanization presents a multi-level
pattern, higher in the eastern region and lower in the west, and the distribution of average carbon emissions depicts a similar tier. China’s projected peak
in carbon emissions (around 2030) coincides with high levels of urbanization
(2035), suggesting a strong correlation between China’s urbanization and carbon
dioxide emissions, not only in the past, but also in the future.
J. Wu and H. Zhao
negatively affect energy intensity due to over-saturation of cities is subject to further
debate.
The empirical results (the row of lnEI in Table 2.1) revealed major impact of
urban energy intensity on carbon dioxide emissions, which is larger than that of
urban population, industrial structure, foreign investment, etc. For every 1% reduction in urban energy intensity across the country, carbon dioxide emissions would
go down by 0.611%, meaning that energy intensity is of crucial significance to
regional carbon emissions. The priority of cutting urban greenhouse gas emissions
in China lies in reducing energy intensity and improving energy efficiency. In addition, greater impact of energy intensity on carbon emissions was found in central
cities than in their eastern and western counterparts. This might be explained by the
role of central cities as the recipient of industrial transfer from eastern China and
abroad as well as the rising share of secondary industry in local GDP with industrial
restructuring. In the future, central cities need to reduce the weight of heavy industries in the economy, curtail high-intensity demand of the heavy chemical industry
for fossil energy, promote the application of energy-saving and emission-reduction
technologies, and enhance efficiency of energy utilization.
2.4 Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
for Low-Carbon Development During China’s
Urbanization
Urbanization in China has been characterized by rising carbon emissions, huge
energy consumption and greater eco-environment pressure than that of developed
world, and has been troubled by the lock-in effect of vast industrial production
capacity and infrastructure, among other low-carbon challenges. This chapter begins
with a diagnosis of the historical interactions between China’s urbanization and
carbon emissions, and proceeds to explore the impact mechanism of urbanization on
carbon emissions. Finally, the panel data of 144 cities from 2007 to 2018 are taken
as samples for assessing the regional differences of the impact and how the impact
is enforced. Research findings are listed below:
(1) At the national level, the evolution of both carbon emissions and urbanization
can be divided into three stages, with the two sharing the same trajectory of
changes. Growth in urbanization has been accompanied by rising carbon emissions. From the regional standpoint, China’s urbanization presents a multi-level
pattern, higher in the eastern region and lower in the west, and the distribution of average carbon emissions depicts a similar tier. China’s projected peak
in carbon emissions (around 2030) coincides with high levels of urbanization
(2035), suggesting a strong correlation between China’s urbanization and carbon
dioxide emissions, not only in the past, but also in the future.