Evolution of Logistics Industry Carbon Emissions in Heilongjiang Province, China

Abstract

This paper analysed the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics and impact mechanism of the logistics carbon emissions in China’s Heilongjiang Province. Different levels of logistics carbon emissions during 2000–2020 were calculated using an energy-based emission factor method, and the Tapio decoupling model was used to analyse the decoupling effect between carbon emissions and economics. Then, a hotspot analysis and a spatial autocorrection analysis were used to study the spatial-temporal patterns of logistics carbon emissions. Finally, the influencing factors were analysed by using the logarithmic mean divisia index. Results showed that logistics carbon emissions in Heilongjiang increased from 1.66 million tons in 2000 to 6.21 million tons in 2020. The overall decoupling state was expansion negative decoupling, and it turned into strong decoupling in the last five years. The hotspots of logistics carbon emissions were mainly concentrated in developed cities in the south, and the coldspots were mainly in undeveloped regions in the north. Economic development was the main factor driving the increase of logistics carbon emissions, and logistics development was the main factor inhibiting the growth of logistics carbon emissions. The study results can provide references for formulation region-specific carbon reduction measures, which are beneficial to the low-carbon sustainable development of the logistics industry in this region.