What determines the diversity of CO2 emission patterns in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China? An analysis focusing on industrial structure change

Abstract

As the largest CO2 emitter in the world, China is facing significant challenges in CO2 mitigation. In the search for low-carbon development and industrial upgrading, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region represents an experimental plot for all of China. In this study, we employed a comprehensive analytical framework to investigate the changing pattern of CO2 emissions in the BTH region, where large-scale industrial structural changes are happening; the results of this study provide a critical reference for regions facing the dual tasks of industrial transitions and environmental protection. The results indicate that industrial structural changes have helped diminish mounting CO2 emissions in the BTH region; however, the extent of the effect differs among the provinces involved. Improvements in technology and organization level in the fastest growing sectors, such as machinery manufacturing and service industries, have helped to curb CO2 emissions significantly. However, industrial structural changes have failed to narrow the CO2 emission gaps among provinces in the region. Being in different phase of development and possessing various resource endowments, the provinces in the BTH region have followed a diversified path of industrial upgrading and have emerged as a region with explicit labor divisions and supply chains. On one hand, this intensifies regional CO2 emission differences, and on the other, it has allowed policymakers to promote more customized decarbonizing plans.