Spatio-temporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Energy Consumption in the Yellow River Basin

Abstract

Based on the data of 57 cities in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) during 2006-2019, this study analyzes its spatio-temporal evolution of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption, and decomposes its CO2 emissions changes into five factors. The results indicate that: (1) The CO2 emissions in the Yellow River Basin has increased but did not reach the peak from 2006 to 2019, which showed a spatial distribution pattern of “high in the east and low in the west”, with Baotou city, Taiyuan city, Xi’an City, Zhengzhou City and Zibo city forming several high CO2 emission centers of different sizes and spreading to the periphery; (2) The CO2 emission center of gravity in the Yellow River Basin shifted to the southeast as a whole. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Lanzhou city were the main engine provinces and cities to promote its shift. (3) The driving factors of CO2 emissions growth are economic development level, population size and energy efficiency, while industrial structure and clean energy utilization level (CO2 emission coefficient) factors restrained the growth of CO2 emissions in the Yellow River Basin.