Influence of Urbanization and Foreign Direct Investment on Carbon Emission Efficiency: Evidence from Urban Clusters in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Kaili Zhang,Shijian Wu

doi:10.3390/su13052722

Kaili Zhang, Shijian Wu

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052722

Copy DOI

Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Mar 3, 2021
Citations: 29	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Shandong University of Science and Technology

Abstract

Reducing carbon emissions and realizing green, circular, and low-carbon development is essential for high-quality economic development. Following the construction of a superefficiency SBM model and combining the panel data of three major urban agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2003 to 2017, carbon emission efficiency was measured and analyzed. A spatial Durbin model (SDM) was incorporated to analyze the urban agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the impact of urbanization quality and foreign direct investment (FDI) on carbon emission efficiency. Finally, the SDM model was used to decompose the spillover effect. Generally, carbon emission efficiency in the three major urban agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is low, with regional differences. FDI only has a positive impact on the carbon emissions of the Yangtze River Delta and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Furthermore, urbanization and population density have led to high levels of carbon emission in the region; however, the industrial structure and energy intensity factors have inhibited the improvement of regional carbon emission efficiency. Improving the quality of urbanization and trade structure is important to achieve energy conservation and emission reductions, which are pillars of sustainable economic development.

Highlights

In recent years, high amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ), have been emitted, causing global warming and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events and natural disasters, which pose serious threats to ecosystems inhabited and exploited by humans, as well as the resources therein
Economic Belt and their inner cities and to obtain the comprehensive carbon emission efficiency of the three urban agglomerations and 69 cities based on Max DEAv6.3
IF, logarithm of energy intensity (LnEI), and OP are all negative at different significance levels, indicating that the three factors would improve carbon emission efficiency to a certain degree

Summary

Introduction

High amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ), have been emitted, causing global warming and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events and natural disasters, which pose serious threats to ecosystems inhabited and exploited by humans, as well as the resources therein. Belt spans the three major regions of China, including the east, central, and west regions. The economic belt has the highest economic potential and the greatest strategic government support outside the open coastal areas. The Yangtze River Economic Belt facilitates interaction and cooperation among the east and the west, coordinating and promoting the opening of coastal cities and rivers. It plays a crucial role in the new round of reform and opening and is called the “backbone of China’s economy” [1].

Methods

Results

Conclusion