Spatial Variations and Determinants of Per Capita Household CO2 Emissions (PHCEs) in China

Lina Liu,Afton Clarke-Sather,Tek Maraseni,Jiansheng Qu,Jiaxing Pang

doi:10.3390/su9071277

Abstract

In China, household CO2 emissions (HCEs) are increasing due to economic development and accelerated urbanization. This paper details the spatial variations of per capita household CO2 emissions (PHCEs) in China and the factors impacting PHCEs using spatial statistical analysis and a spatial panel data model for the period from 1997 to 2014. Our results indicate that (1) there has been high provincial variation in rates of change across China, with some provinces’ PHCEs increasing by an order of magnitude from 1997 to 2014; (2) the Global Moran’s I of PHCEs are above 0, and the spatial differences between PHCEs are caused by the High-High cluster and Low-Low cluster in China; (3) a 1% increase of per capita income, education level, and urbanization will result in increases in PHCEs of 0.6990%, 0.0149%, and 0.0044%, respectively, whilst a 1% increase in household size will result in a 0.0496% decrease in PHCEs. There are a large number of factors impacting CO2 emissions, while there is little specific guidance on the spatial variations and provincial characteristics of CO2 emissions from the perspective of household consumption.

Highlights

Global climate change is primarily caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, CO2 emissions [1,2]
The 12 provinces with low-level per capita household CO2 emissions (PHCEs) were concentrated in northeast China, the Qinghai-Tibet area, the Bohai Sea Region, and the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone
We have investigated the spatial variations and determinants of per capita household CO2 emissions (PHCEs) in China

Summary

Introduction

Global climate change is primarily caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, CO2 emissions [1,2]. Facing fast-growing CO2 emissions, the Chinese government established a goal of reducing its carbon intensity to 40% to 50% of 2005 levels by 2020 at the Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009 and vowed to reach its carbon emissions peak circa 2030 and make efforts to peak early during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in 2014. While many of these emissions can be attributed to household energy usage, household consumption will account for a rising portion of emissions in the coming decades as living standards improve [4,5,6]. The third phase (2011 to the present) has seen the focus shift to the analysis of factors influencing household CO2 emissions and measures to reduce CO2 emissions

Methods

Results

Conclusion