Dissecting household carbon and energy inequality: A decade's insight into regional disparities and urban-rural dynamics in China

Abstract

Substantial inequalities exist in carbon and energy footprints across households in China, due to variations in income and consumption patterns. Examining these inequalities and their driving factors amid the rapid economic and energy transition is crucial for making informed climate policies. Here, we investigate the variations and driving factors of household carbon and energy inequality across urban and rural areas and ten income groups in China during 2007–2017 by employing the environmentally extended multiregional input–output approach and national household consumption survey data. The results reveal that urban regions tend to exhibit higher carbon and energy footprints, coupled with greater inequality, compared to rural regions. The carbon and energy inequalities in the less developed provinces are mainly attributed to urban-rural differences, whereas in the more developed provinces, intra-urban differences play a dominant role. The carbon and energy inequality declined in China during 2007–2017. We argue that the reduction in carbon and energy inequality in China can be attributed to footprints increases in rural regions, a trend that should be carefully considered in future low carbon development policy formulation.