Decomposing Industrial Energy-Related CO2 Emissions in Yunnan Province, China: Switching to Low-Carbon Economic Growth

Mingxiang Deng,Wei Li,Yan Hu

doi:10.3390/en9010023

Abstract

As a less-developed province that has been chosen to be part of a low-carbon pilot project, Yunnan faces the challenge of maintaining rapid economic growth while reducing CO2 emissions. Understanding the drivers behind CO2 emission changes can help decouple economic growth from CO2 emissions. However, previous studies on the drivers of CO2 emissions in less-developed regions that focus on both production and final demand have been seldom conducted. In this study, a structural decomposition analysis-logarithmic mean Divisia index (SDA-LMDI) model was developed to find the drivers behind the CO2 emission changes during 1997–2012 in Yunnan, based on times series energy consumption and input-output data. The results demonstrated that the sharp rise in exports of high-carbon products from the metal processing and electricity sectors increased CO2 emissions, during 2002–2007. Although increased investments in the construction sector also increased CO2 emissions, during 2007–2012, the carbon intensity of Yunnan’s economy decreased substantially because the province vigorously developed hydropower and improved energy efficiency in energy-intensive sectors. Construction investments not only carbonized the GDP composition, but also formed a carbon-intensive production structure because of high-carbon supply chains. To further mitigate CO2 emissions in Yunnan, measures should promote the development and application of clean energy and the formation of consumption-based economic growth.

Highlights

As the top CO2 emitter in the world, China’s annual CO2 emissions in 2013 were more than the sum of the amount from the United States and the European Union (EU) [1]
CO2 emissions grew by 80.9 million tons (Mt), which constitutes 57.9% of the growth that occurred in the 1997–2012 period, with the remaining 28.2% (39.5 Mt) in 2007–2012 and 13.9% (19.4 Mt) in 1997–2002
Model was developed to find the drivers behind the CO2 emission changes during 1997–2012 in Yunnan, a low-carbon pilot province in China

Summary

Introduction

As the top CO2 emitter in the world, China’s annual CO2 emissions in 2013 were more than the sum of the amount from the United States and the European Union (EU) [1]. Facing severe international pressure to mitigate its CO2 emissions, China has pushed its provinces to reduce their CO2 emissions. China’s central government has chosen provinces to conduct pilot work in low-carbon development in alignment with the development stage and characteristics of the different regions. Yunnan province was chosen as a pilot province and tasked with finding ways to achieve low-carbon transition by utilizing its underdevelopment to its advantage [2]. The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in Yunnan is approximately 60% of the national average [4]. Yunnan faces challenges to develop its economy and reduce poverty

Methods

Results

Conclusion