Regional Differences and Convergence of Carbon Emissions Intensity in Cities along the Yellow River Basin in China

Xiaolan Chen, Qinggang Meng, Jianing Shi, Yufei Liu, Jing Sun and Wanfang Shen
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Xiaolan Chen: Shandong Technology Innovation Center of Social Governance Intelligence, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
Qinggang Meng: School of Statistics and Mathematics, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
Jianing Shi: School of Statistics and Mathematics, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
Yufei Liu: School of Statistics and Mathematics, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China
Jing Sun: School of Business Administration, University of Science and Technology, Anshan 114051, China
Wanfang Shen: Shandong Key Laboratory of Blockchain Finance, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan 250014, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: Since the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China have become a primary national strategy, the low-carbon economy is crucial. To formulate effective emission mitigation policies for the YRB, we need to comprehensively understand the characteristics of the spatial agglomeration of the carbon emissions intensity in the YRB and its regional heterogeneity. Therefore, based on the relevant data from 2005 to 2017, we first scientifically measure the carbon emissions intensity of 57 cities along the YRB. Then, we analyze the spatial agglomeration characteristics and long-term transfer trends of carbon emission intensity using exploratory spatial data analysis methods and Markov chains. Finally, the Dagum Gini coefficient and the variation coefficient method are used to study the regional differences and differential evolution convergence of the carbon emissions intensity in the YRB. The results show that the carbon emissions intensity of the YRB has dropped significantly with the spatial distribution characteristics “high in the west and low in the east”, and there is a significant spatial autocorrelation phenomenon. In addition, the probability of a shift in urban carbon intensity is low, leading to a “club convergence” and a “Matthew effect” in general and across regions. Inter-regional differences have always been the primary source of spatial differences in carbon emissions intensity in the YRB, and the intra-regional differences in carbon emissions intensity in the lower YRB show a significant convergence phenomenon. The research results may provide a reference for the regional coordinated development of a low-carbon economy in the YRB, and serve to guide the win-win development model of ecological environment protection and economic growth in the YRB.

Keywords: Yellow River Basin (YRB); carbon emissions intensity; spatial pattern; regional difference; Dagum Gini coefficient (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:7:p:1042-:d:858926

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