Regional inequality in the carbon emission intensity of public buildings in China

Abstract

Driven by urbanization and the growth of residents’ income, CO2 emissions from energy consumption in public buildings have gradually become an important source of CO2 emission growth in China. There is an obvious phenomenon of carbon emission inequality, and there is still a research gap. This study explores the inequality in the carbon emission intensity of public buildings and its drivers on two scales—carbon emissions per capita and per unit of floor area—using provincial panel data for public buildings in China from 2010 to 2019 by Kaya-Theil model. The following results are obtained: (1) The carbon emissions per capita increased from 415 kg to 605 kg, those per unit of floor area decreased from 70.67 kg to 62.16 kg, and those from public buildings in hot summer and cold winter regions and cold regions were significantly higher than those in other regions. (2) The overall regional variation in the carbon emission intensity of public buildings mainly consists of intra-regional variations, ranging mainly from 70% to 90%. The role of building climate zones in the spatial difference in carbon emissions per capita is gradually increasing. (3) The added value of the tertiary sector per capita is the main factor contributing to the inequality in the carbon intensity of public buildings, with a contribution of approximately 70% (±5%), and energy consumption per unit of floor area gradually contributes to the increase in carbon inequality. Our findings provide practical guidance for reducing the carbon emission intensity, thereby further promoting the development of global low-carbon goals.