Consumption Structure Research Articles

Political participation and digital communications of Russians after the start of the SMO: features and main forms

The article is devoted to identifying key changes in the practices of political participation of Russian citizens during the period of a Special military operation on the territory of Ukraine, caused, among other things, by the transformation of public political discourse and the digital environment. Analyzing the phenomenon of social consolidation in the conditions of ITS, key models of political participation and changes in media consumption of Russians over the past two years, the author concludes that after February 24, 2022, a certain transformation of public discourse and structure of media consumption, as well as related practices of political participation of Russians, took place in Russia. There is a differentiation of the socially active part of the population into two unequal groups: on the one hand, a dissenting protest minority, whose main form of political participation and "statements" were emigration or spontaneous protests; on the other hand, a consolidated patriotic majority expressing support for the activities of the country's leadership through traditional as well as new forms of participation: charity, volunteering, "pro-government" electoral behavior, information and campaigning work. It is also noted that the prevailing practices of political participation due to the use of digital technologies today are volunteer activities (including "virtual volunteering"), protest political participation, as well as conventional practices of electoral participation using remote electronic voting technologies.

Britain’s Policy of Socio-Cultural Influence: the Current State and Recent Developments

The paper deals with the latest developments in Britain’s socio-cultural influence on the world stage, including changes in institutional design of governance as well as sources and volume of financing. Primary funding source as well as official conceptual framework for the development of British foreign policy influence programs is provided by the development assistance policy. The author looks into the structure and dynamics of expenditures and draws a comparison with other leading Western powers. The research shows no significant transformations of approaches over the last decade as far as general logic and influence mechanisms are concerned. However, the paper identifies trends towards growing politicisation and weaponisation of sociocultural influence. The conclusion is made that Britain’s foreign influence policies are in the process of the biggest upheaval over the last 25 years amidst funding cuts and more strict subordination to short-term national interests and political priorities. These changes are not unprecedented in terms of British foreign policy history, including the Thatcher era. Socio-cultural influence remains significant, and frequently essential London’s foreign policy tool. The British establishment makes attempts to readjust and sharpen the existing influence toolkit according to the logic of interstate rivalry. London effectively tries to return to previous historical epochs in the new international setting and altered global balance of power. These decisions appear to a great extent opportunistic and do not promise consistence and soundness to the chosen political course although they contribute to its growing unpredictability.

Research on Interprovincial Embodied Carbon Transfer Network in China and Its Endogenous Dynamic Evolutionary Mechanism

This paper uses the multi-regional input–output model to measure China’s interprovincial embodied carbon transfer and constructs an interprovincial network; then, the temporal exponential random graph model is applied to analyze the spatial correlation characteristics and endogenous evolutionary mechanism of the network. The results show that interprovincial embodied carbon transfer relationships are increasingly close in China, but the weak symmetric accessibility between the eastern and central regions leads to less reciprocity in the embodied carbon network, and carbon emission inequality still exists. Based on the identification of networks, it is shown that the global network structures are stable, with obvious small-world characteristics and a core–periphery structure. And a structure-dependent effect and time-dependent effect also exist in the formation and evolution of the interprovincial embodied carbon transfer network in China. The popularity, multi-connectivity, and path-dependent effects among the provinces are significant, but the imperfection of interprovincial communication and the cooperation mechanism leads to the failure to form stable structures of ternary closed loops. Interprovincial embodied carbon transfer relationships tend to occur between provinces, with large differences in energy consumption structures, while geographical distance can hinder the formation of embodied carbon transfer relationships. Consequently, considering the spatial network correlation and its endogenous dynamic evolutionary mechanism, it is important to implement policies to guide coordinated carbon reduction among the provinces and to improve the fairness in embodied carbon transferring, in order to promote the fine governance of all links in the transferring process of embodied carbon.

The Impact of Vertical Fiscal Imbalance and Local Government Expenditure Structure on the Quality of Economic Development in China: A Study Based on a Simultaneous Equations Model

The challenge of improving economic development quality and achieving sustainable growth has become a pressing issue for the Chinese government. This study explores the interaction between vertical fiscal imbalance, local government expenditure structure, and economic development quality. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2008-2022, the study applies the three-stage least squares method to assess the dual impact of vertical fiscal imbalance on economic development quality. The results demonstrate that vertical fiscal imbalance not only has a direct negative impact on economic development quality but also indirectly impairs it by constraining the expenditure structure. Moreover, local government expenditure on public welfare projects plays a pivotal role in improving economic development quality. This study highlights the importance of addressing vertical fiscal imbalance in improving economic development quality. It recommends a rational division of fiscal powers and responsibilities between central and local governments, reforms to China’s fiscal transfer payment system, and optimization of the expenditure structure to mitigate vertical fiscal imbalance and enhance China’s economic development quality.

The impact of rural human capital on household energy consumption structure: Evidence from Shaanxi Province in China

The structure of rural household energy consumption is crucial for rural residents' living standards and quality of life, constituting an integral component of energy transition and promoting Chinese-style modernization. Meanwhile, rural human capital is a prerequisite for agricultural and rural modernization. Drawing on survey data from 791 households in Shaanxi Province, this study empirically examines the impact and mechanisms of human capital on the household energy consumption structure with the ordinary least square (OLS) model and instrumental variable (IV) method. The findings indicate that human capital significantly reduces traditional energy consumption while increasing the adoption of transitional and advanced energy. This conclusion remains robust after rigorous testing. Mechanism analysis reveals that human capital facilitates the shift from traditional to transitional and advanced energy by enhancing purchasing power, environmental awareness, and the frequency of energy-saving technology usage within households. Further analysis demonstrates that higher levels of human capital correlate with a greater likelihood of households transitioning from traditional energy to transitional and advanced energy. Particularly, households with a high school education exhibit a significant increase in the consumption of transitional and advanced energy while notably reducing traditional energy consumption. Moreover, compared to low-income households, human capital has a significantly positive effect on increasing the adoption of advanced energy in high-income households. Hence, prioritizing investment in rural education, providing more educational resources, improving school facilities, and implementing incentive policies to emphasize education within households are recommended strategies to enhance rural residents' human capitals. This, in turn, facilitates their adoption of transitional and advanced energy, reducing dependence on traditional energy.

China's energy efficiency improvement considering renewable energy substitution: Applying a dynamic two-stage undesirable non-radial directional distance function

As the country with the largest CO2 emissions in the world, China is developing renewable energy as the main way to address climate change. By 2021, China's wind and solar power generation accounted for 40 % and 37 % of the global total, but there is an imbalance in the development of renewable energy within China. Different from existing research on energy efficiency evaluation that rarely considers renewable energy, this study constructs a dynamic two-stage undesirable non-radial directional distance function that divides traditional energy efficiency into electricity production efficiency (EPE) by considering renewable energy substitution effects and energy utilization efficiency (EUE) by considering changes in the energy consumption structure. Different from other empirical results, the western provinces, with advantages in renewable energy development, their EPE has significantly improved, and EUE has also improved with the optimization of energy consumption structure, thus their overall energy performance surpass that of the eastern and central regions. In addition, by comparing the room for improvement of variables, we find that most provinces can improve their energy performance by expanding the scale of renewable energy generation and increasing the proportion of electricity to total energy consumption. Therefore, we propose policy recommendations to promote the sustainable development of renewable energy.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE FORECAST OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE COUNTRY IN THE CONDITIONS OF WAR AND THE AMOUNT OF REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

The article highlights three main factors that influence the forecast of the consumption of energy in the economy of Ukraine. These are structural shifts in its economy, changes in the structure of energy consumption in Ukraine, and volumes and directions of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the conditions of compliance with international emission limitations. The conservative scenario of the development of the country's economy is considered. It predicts a moderate recovery, with the economy growing at 2.5 % per year. This pace has been chosen under the condition of the continuation of russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and the end of the active phase of hostilities by the end of 2025. The change in the structure of the economy during russia's military aggression against Ukraine was studied. The directions of further development of key sections of the economy have been determined. Strategic measures to reduce GHG emissions are highlighted, primarily in industry and in the energy sector in particular. Reducing fuel consumption by types of industrial sectors in Ukraine will be achieved through the introduction of energy-efficient technologies and processes aimed at reducing energy consumption in production, by switching to the use of more ecological energy sources, such as renewable energy sources; modernization of industrial facilities and equipment to reduce fuel consumption; implementation of energy saving and energy efficiency promotion programs in industry; reforming the energy sector and increasing energy efficiency in general. According to the updated nationally defined contribution of Ukraine to the Paris Agreement in 2021, the country committed to achieving a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 35 % from the 1990 level by 2030 and switching to energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies. Keywords: structure of the economy, energy resources, structure of energy consumption, forecasting, greenhouse gases.

Does industrial robot adoption inhibit environmental pollution in China? An empirical study on energy consumption and green technology innovation

In this research, we develop a theoretical model to examine the relationship between the adoption of industrial robots and environmental pollution. Additionally, we explore the mechanisms through which the implementation of industrial robots influences pollutant emissions. Our findings indicate that the adoption of industrial robots has a negative effect on environmental pollution. This conclusion is drawn from a panel data analysis of 283 cities in China from 2006 to 2020, utilizing a double fixed effect model. Further mechanism tests reveal that the use of industrial robots contributes to a reduction in pollution emissions by optimizing the energy consumption structure and enhancing energy efficiency. Meanwhile, industrial robot usage decreases pollution emissions by enhancing pollution treatment capabilities and boosting green technological innovation. Furthermore, regions characterized by heightened environmental awareness demonstrate a more significant improvement in environmental pollution levels when industrial robots are applied to their production process. This study ultimately demonstrates that integrating industrial robots can lead to a reduction in pollutant emissions, thereby yielding sustainable benefits for the environment.

Unraveling economic-environmental coupling in China's petrochemical industry towards carbon peaking

The petrochemical industry is a (key pillar) of chemical production and has relatively stable product demand in a long term, but it faces great decarbonization challenges due to the high energy consumption and complex industrial structure. To tackle this, a flow-land-infrastructure-petrochemical (FLIP) multi-factor model is developed with integration of material and energy flow analysis and decoupling assessment, targeting industrial carbon peaking via industrial structure upgrading and production efficiency improvement of four-digit level petrochemical sub-sectors. A nationally leading petrochemical industrial park was then selected to validate the model's effectiveness and robustness. Through the model optimization, the park could achieve 19 % and 30 % of CO2e emission reductions in 2025 and 2030 respectively, compared with emissions in the scenario without intervention. The overall carbon productivity could rise by 89 % with a decoupling index of -0.15 between economic growth and carbon emissions during 2020–2030, showing a feasible carbon peaking pathway. Infrastructure with lock-in emissions needs energy system transformation and adjacent industrial symbiosis from a regional perspective, while promotion targets and entry thresholds of carbon productivity should be individually tailored for each stock and incremental manufacturing sub-industry. The model could be extended to other petrochemical clusters and emission-intensive industries, synergistically addressing the effects of structure upgrading and efficiency progress to support practical and economically sustainable carbon peaking pathway formulation.

Определение способов повышения энергоэффективности путем анализа электропотребления предприятий судостроительной и судоремонтной отрасли

The possibilities of improving energy efficiency in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry are being considered. Energy efficiency plays a key role in modern industry, especially in industries with high energy consumption, such as shipbuilding and ship repair. In the Astrakhan region, with a significant amount of available water resources, there are many enterprises in this industry. An overview of the industry in the region is presented, an analysis of the structure and dynamics of electricity consumption at enterprises in this industry is carried out, the identification of the main consumers of electricity and the most energy-consuming processes are identified. Based on these data, measures are proposed to optimize energy consumption. The existing technologies and methods aimed at reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry are analyzed. Both technical and organizational measures are considered, such as the introduction of energy-saving equipment, optimization of production processes and the introduction of energy monitoring and management systems. Recommendations on improving the energy efficiency of enterprises in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry will reduce energy costs, improve the environmental sustainability of production and increase the competitiveness of companies in a market economy. The results obtained can be used by the management of enterprises, energy management specialists and government agencies to develop strategies to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in this industry. An integrated approach will be useful to enterprises in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry for the efficient use of available resources, reducing costs and minimizing negative effects on the environment, which in the long term will contribute to increasing competitiveness and sustainability.

Environmental taxes promote the synergy between pollution and carbon reduction: Provincial evidence from China

Since its implementation in 2018, China's environmental tax has become a crucial mechanism in the nation's strategy for reducing environmental pollution. However, its synergistic effect between pollution and carbon reduction has not been adequately focused on and evaluated. This study employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyze the impact of the environmental tax policy on the emissions of pollutant and CO2 as well as the synergistic effect between them. The baseline results reveal that the implementation of environmental taxes significantly reduces the emissions of SO2 and CO2 and enhances the level of synergistic effects. This finding passed a series of robustness tests. Additional analysis reveals that the environmental tax promotes reductions in SO2 and CO2 emissions through adjustments in industrial and energy consumption structures. Furthermore, mechanism analysis from an econometric perspective provides theoretical support for the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. In the process of achieving CO2 reduction, SO2 plays a crucial mediating role. The heterogeneity effect suggests that in non-coastal areas and regions with larger governmental scales, the environmental tax exhibits significant emission reduction effects. It is advisable to strengthen the legal safeguard of environmental tax, dynamically adjust tax rates, and timely expand the tax scope to improve the environmental tax system and enhance its policy effects. This study provides empirical evidence and policy insights to optimize the environmental tax, offering valuable references for environmental tax reforms in developing countries.

Insight into Carbon Emissions in Economically Developed Regions Based on Land Use Transitions: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta, China

This study focused on the land use (LU) structure and carbon emissions (CEs) in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Shanghai provinces of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in China from 2000 to 2020, using the STIRPAT model and scenario analysis (SA). We conducted an analysis of the influence exerted by relevant factors on land use carbon emissions (LUCEs) and made forecasts regarding the diverse development scenarios of CE trends, aiming to provide methodological guidance for validating the effectiveness of existing policies in reducing CEs and offer direction for achieving the peak CO2 emissions target as soon as possible. It also constitutes a significant reference for the early realization of the peak CO2 emissions target. The results indicated the following: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, CEs resulting from LU in the YRD rose from 2.70 × 108 t to 9.10 × 108 t, marking an increase of 243.77%. In 2020, the built-up area was the predominant contributor to CEs, representing 99.15% of the overall carbon sources, whereas forests served as the main carbon sink, comprising 92.37% of the total carbon sinks (CSs) for that year. (2) For each percent increase in the parameters considered in this study, the corresponding increases in LU CO2 emissions were estimated to be: 1.932% (population), 0.241% (GDP per capita), −0.141% (energy intensity), 0.043% (consumption structure), 1.045% (industrial structure), and 0.975% (urbanization). (3) According to the existing policy framework and development plans, the YRD is expected to achieve peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. If energy conservation and carbon reduction strategies are implemented, this peak could be achieved as early as 2025. However, if economic growth continues to depend primarily on fossil fuel consumption, the region may not hit its carbon peak until 2035. (4) The low-carbon scenario, which considers the needs of social progress alongside the intensity of carbon emission reductions, represents the most effective development strategy for reaching a carbon peak in LU within the YRD. Effectively managing population size and facilitating the upgrading of industrial structures are key strategies to hasten the achievement of peaking carbon dioxide emissions in the region.

Industry Energy Dependence Characteristics Under Different Energy Consumption Accounting Scopes: A Comparison Between China and the U.S.

Energy plays a vital role in the sustainable development of the economy and society. The key measures for achieving sustainable development include optimizing the energy structure, improving energy efficiency, and reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. This study constructs a monetary energy consumption database for China that distinguishes between energy resources used as raw materials and those used as other intermediate inputs, based on China’s annual input–output table from 2001 to 2020. In this paper, the direct energy consumption and energy conservation potential of 33 industries in both China and the United States are compared under the following three energy consumption scopes: not excluding energy used as raw materials, excluding energy used as raw materials for the production of non-energy products, and excluding energy used as raw materials for the production of non-energy products or the production of energy products through non-combustion processes. This study also compares the direct energy dependence characteristics of these industries. The following conclusions are made: First, the energy consumption structure varies greatly under different scopes, of which the third scope is closest to the international standards. Second, China’s raw materials industries have made some progress in energy conservation, and their gap with those in the U.S. has started to narrow. Third, China’s high-tech industries still have potential for energy conservation and emission reduction.

Does Fintech influence green utilization efficiency of mineral resources? Evidence from China's regional data

The extraction and utilization of mineral resources often lead to environmental pollution and resource depletion, highlighting the urgent need to improve green utilization efficiency. At the same time, Fintech, a fusion of financial services and technological innovation, transforms the traditional financial landscape and significantly affects natural resource markets. Given this, we examines the impact of Fintech on the mineral resources green utilization efficiency (Mrgue) across 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China from 2012 to 2021. The results show that Fintech significantly boosts Mrgue, particularly in the eastern regions of China. However, these effects are less pronounced in the central and western regions. The marginal impact of Fintech on Mrgue is notably positive and strengthens at higher quantiles. A significant improvement in Mrgue is observed only after Fintech surpasses a specific threshold. Lastly, Fintech promotes Mrgue by driving green technological innovation and optimizing the energy consumption structure. These findings offer insights for policymakers to understand Fintech's role better and leverage it to advance Mrgue.

The Influence of Population Aging on Living Carbon Emissions in the Yellow River Basin: Comparisons Between Urban and Rural Areas

ABSTRACTPopulation aging presents a major challenge to China's economic and social development. While some research has addressed the relationship between population aging and energy consumption or generalized carbon emissions, its impact on living carbon emissions has been less explored. This study uses provincial panel data from the Yellow River Basin (2006–2020) and employs a threshold regression model to analyze the relationship between population aging and living carbon emissions. A Multiple Mediation Effect Model is also applied to explore the mechanisms behind this relationship, with a comparative analysis between urban and rural areas. The results indicate a U‐shaped nonlinear effect of population aging on living carbon emissions, which are initially inhibited and then promoted, with different “turning points” for rural and urban regions. As income levels rise, population aging has a marginally increasing effect on living carbon emissions. However, upgrading the consumption expenditure structure, expanding family size, and increasing clean energy consumption can help mitigate the promoting effect of aging on emissions. The mediation model identifies four pathways through which population aging influences living carbon emissions, with income level and consumption expenditure structure playing key roles. This study offers policy insights for addressing urban‐rural disparities and fostering sustainable regional development.

The Impact of Carbon Emissions Trading Policy on Regional Economy and Pollution Reductions in Chinese Provinces

Carbon emissions trading policy is an important tool to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. In order to explore the effectiveness of carbon emissions trading policy, this paper adopts the difference-in-differences model to analyze the effects of China’s pilot policy on regional economic development and pollution reductions. The results show that carbon trading policy can significantly promote economic development and reduce total carbon emissions, industrial SO2 emissions and solid wastes production of pilot regions. Further research finds that there is significant regional difference in policy effectiveness, with the policy more effective in western areas. In addition to direct effects, carbon trading policy could exert an indirect effect on carbon emissions, air quality, industrial solid wastes and regional economic development by optimizing energy consumption structures and industrial structures and increasing technological investment. This result verifies the “Porter hypothesis”. China should improve the construction of national carbon trading markets, covering more industries, considering the regional differences and negative spillover effect.

Changes in the Global Structure of Energy Consumption and the Energy Transition Process

The global energy transition represents a pivotal aspect of the pursuit of sustainable development and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of this study was to examine the dynamic relationships between global primary energy consumption and the consumption of individual energy sources (nuclear, oil, coal, natural gas, renewables) from 2011 to 2023. To examine both long-run and short-run relationships between variables, advanced econometric methods were employed, including the Johansen cointegration test and the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Furthermore, an Index of Sustainable Energy Transformation (ISTE) was devised to quantify the advancement of the transition to low-carbon energy sources. The analysis confirms the existence of long-term equilibrium relationships between global primary energy consumption and the consumption of individual energy sources. The analysis revealed that renewable energy consumption exerts a considerable influence on primary energy consumption, both in the short and long term. The ISTE index demonstrated a notable increase over the period of 2011 to 2023, indicative of advancement in the global energy transition. The results confirm the existence of a stable long-term equilibrium between global primary energy consumption and the consumption of individual energy sources. The observed increase in the ISTE index indicates progress towards low-carbon energy sources, which has important implications for energy policy and sustainable development. The results can support policymakers in monitoring the progress of the energy transition and shaping policies to accelerate the development of renewable energy sources.

An Empirical Analysis of the Influencing Factors of the Changes in the Energy Consumption Structure in Henan Province

An Empirical Analysis of the Influencing Factors of the Changes in the Energy Consumption Structure in Henan Province

Changes in the European Union households' consumption structure and the sustainable development

The subject of this study is the relationship between the households' consumption structure changes and sustainable development. This research was conducted for the European Union (EU) countries in the years 2008-2020. Additionally, in the investigation, the considered area is divided into two separate regimes: countries that joined the EU before 2000 (referred to as Old EU Member States) and countries that joined the EU later (called New EU Member States). It is widely known that the territorial units in the first regime are relatively wealthier than those in the second group. As a result of differences in wealth between the defined regimes, consumer behaviours can vary. Sustainable consumption (SC) is one of the major aspects of sustainable development. SC indicates consumer choices that are both intentional and effective, and these choices demonstrate a positive impact on environmental and/or social conditions. In this research, the influence of households' consumption changes on the environmental pillar of sustainable development is evaluated. Caring for the natural environment is one of the main challenges today. In this research, another approach to measure environmental development is proposed. So far, different types of footprints have been used. This analysis considers most of the environmental indicators defined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's). The environmental development of EU countries is evaluated based on the synthetic measure of development proposed by Hellwig. Moreover, the spatio-temporal sensitivity models are estimated and verified. The sensitivity parameter of these models shows the impact of consumption structure changes on environmental development, wherein the consumption structure is categorized into four groups of goods: services, non-durable, semi-durable, and durable. The spatial autoregressive (SAR) models are also estimated and verified. The investigation results point out the differences in the influence of consumption structure changes on sustainable development depending on the considered group of countries.

ANALYSIS OF MODERN APPROACHES TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES IN UKRAINE

The purpose of the study is to analyze modern effective approaches to the financial support of healthcare institutions, which have been successfully implemented in the leading countries of the world, in order to form a unique model of their financing in Ukraine. The uniqueness of the model is ensured by taking into account the institutional features of modern Ukrainian reality. The article analyzes the financial instruments for providing healthcare under various models of financing the healthcare system, which are used in global practice. The process of reforming the healthcare system in Ukraine was studied, which made it possible to establish changes in the financing of healthcare. The components of the healthcare institution's budget are given. The main advantages and disadvantages of approaches to financing healthcare in Ukraine are determined. The volume and structure of expenditures of the Consolidated Budget of Ukraine on healthcare, as well as the main results of the activities of medical care providers covering all regions of Ukraine, were analyzed. The problems of financing healthcare facilities at the local level in Ukraine, which negatively affect the availability and quality of medical services, have been identified. The need to develop a mixed model of healthcare financing in Ukraine through a rational partnership between state medical institutions and the private sector is substantiated. Taking into account the identified problems and needs, a comprehensive approach to improving the financing of healthcare facilities through the introduction of mandatory health insurance and the development of public-private partnerships in the form of facility management, including resource optimization and technological innovations, is proposed.