Measuring Carbon Emissions Performance in 123 Countries: Application of Minimum Distance to the Strong Efficiency Frontier Analysis

Ling Wang, Zhongchang Chen, Dalai Ma and Pei Zhao
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Ling Wang: School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Zhongchang Chen: School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Dalai Ma: School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
Pei Zhao: School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

Sustainability, 2013, vol. 5, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: In this paper, we have proposed a general approach to obtain a projection of the nearest targets and minimum distance for a given unit. The method takes undesirable output into account. The idea behind it is that nearest targets and minimum distance lead to less variation in inputs and outputs of the inefficient decision making units (DMUs) being evaluated to reach the production possibility set (PPS) frontier. Our results have shown that the carbon emissions comprehensive performance indexes (CECPIs) of developing countries are lower than those of developed countries, and that the inefficiency shares of energy consumption, capital stock and desirable output are declining while those of labor force and undesirable output are climbing. Further, using cluster analysis, we have shown that nine countries, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Iraq, should take severe measures to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, the gap in CECPIs among the 123 countries is narrowing by kernel density estimation.

Keywords: carbon emissions efficiency; minimum distance to the strong efficiency frontier; kernel density estimation; cluster analysis; data envelopment analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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