Regional carbon emission performance in China according to a stochastic frontier model

Abstract

Carbon emissions, per capita carbon emissions, and carbon emissions per unit GDP are traditionally used as indicators of the real carbon emission of a region. However, input variables such as capital and labor and influential factors such as the industrial structure and regional differences are not taken into account in this approach. In this study a trans-log stochastic frontier model is used to develop an index system for measuring regional carbon emission performance that considers relevant input and output variables and influential factors. The main results are as follows: (1) carbon emission performance in China has an upward trend during this period; (2) as proved, among the nation's three major economic regions, in terms of efficiency performance they are ranked in descending order as follows: Eastern China, Central China and Western China; (3) convergence testing shows that there is a convergence trend for carbon emission performance both nationally and for the three major economic regions. Central China has the highest convergence speed and Western China has the lowest.