Carbon Reduction Potential of Resource-Dependent Regions Based on Simulated Annealing Programming Algorithm

Wei Li, Guomin Li, Rongxia Zhang, Wen Sun, Wen Wu, Baihui Jin and Pengfei Cui
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Wei Li: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Guomin Li: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Rongxia Zhang: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Wen Sun: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Wen Wu: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Baihui Jin: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Pengfei Cui: School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: In recent years, developing countries, especially resource-dependent regions, have been facing the paradox of ensuring both emissions reduction and economic development. Thus, there is a strong political desire to forecast carbon emissions reduction potential and the best way to achieve it. This study constructs a methodology to assess carbon reduction potential in a resource-dependent region. The Simulated Annealing Programming algorithm and the Genetic algorithm were introduced to create a prediction model and an optimized regional carbon intensity model, respectively. Shanxi Province in China, a typical resource-dependent area, is selected for the empirical study. Regional statistical data are collected from 1990 to 2015. The results show that the carbon intensity of Shanxi Province could drop 18.78% by 2020. This potential exceeds the 18% expectation of the Chinese Government in its ‘13th Five-Year Work Plan’ for Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Moreover, the carbon intensity of the province could be further reduced by 0.97 t per 10,000 yuan GDP. The study suggests that the carbon emissions of a resource-dependent region can be reduced in the following ways; promoting economic restructuring, upgrading coal supply-side reform, perfecting the self-regulation of coal prices, accelerating the technical innovation of the coal industry, and establishing a flexible mechanism for reducing emissions.

Keywords: resource-dependent regions; carbon reduction potential; carbon intensity; Simulated Annealing Programming; Shanxi Province (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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