Carbon-Emission Characteristics and Influencing Factors in Growing and Shrinking Cities: Evidence from 280 Chinese Cities

Xinhua Tong, Shurui Guo, Haiyan Duan, Zhiyuan Duan, Chang Gao and Wu Chen
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Xinhua Tong: Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Shurui Guo: Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Haiyan Duan: College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Zhiyuan Duan: College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Chang Gao: Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Wu Chen: Auditing Office of Jinniu, Chengdu 610036, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: The CO 2 emission-mitigation policies adopted in different Chinese cities are important for achieving national emission-mitigation targets. China faces enormous inequalities in terms of regional economic development and urbanization, with some cities growing rapidly, while others are shrinking. This study selects 280 cities in China and divides them into two groups of growing cities and two groups of shrinking cities. This is achieved using an index called “urban development degree,” which is calculated based on economic, demographic, social, and land-use indicators. Then, the 280 cities’ CO 2 emission characteristics are examined, and extended STIRPAT (stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence, and technology) is used to verify the influencing factors. We find that rapidly growing cities (RGCs) present a trend of fluctuating growth in CO 2 emissions, rapidly shrinking cities (RSCs) show an inverted U-shaped trend, and slightly growing (SGCs) and slightly shrinking cities (SSCs) show a trend of rising first, followed by steady development. Moreover, for growing cities, the population, economy, and proportion of tertiary industry have positive effects on carbon emissions, while technology has negative effects. For shrinking cities, the population and economy have significant positive effects on carbon emissions, while technology and the proportion of tertiary industry have negative effects.

Keywords: CO 2 emissions; growing cities; shrinking cities; STIRPAT; comprehensive index; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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