Share:


Measuring the inter-structural low-carbon economic inequalities from perspectives of industrial heterogeneity and scale economy: A case study of China’s 29 non-ferrous metal industries

    Lu-Xuan Sun Affiliation
    ; Miao Wang Affiliation
    ; Yin-Shuang Xia Affiliation
    ; Chao Feng Affiliation

Abstract

With the rapid energy consumption increase in China’s non-ferrous metal industry (NMI), there are inequalities in energy-related CO2 emissions among the sub-sectors. In this paper, a meta-frontier decomposition analysis was proposed for decomposing inter-structural low-carbon economic development inequalities among 29 sub-sectors in China’s NMI from 2004 to 2018 into 11 components, including four new factors, i.e., energy- and output- oriented technological gaps and scale economies. In addition, an I(CI) index is constructed to measure the inter-inequalities of low-carbon economic development among NMI and decomposed from the static and dynamic perspectives, respectively. Results show that: (1) I(CI) index was in a downward trend during 2004–2010, while remained stable during 2010–2018; (2) the energy-oriented technological gap (ETG) was the key promoters to increase I(CI); (3) the potential energy intensity (PEI) was the primary inhibiting factor for I(CI); (4) the government can reduce the inter-inequalities by narrowing the technological gap and reducing potential energy intensity in the energy market.


First published online 20 May 2022

Keyword : low-carbon economy, non-ferrous metal industries, decomposition analysis, inter-structural heterogeneities, scale economy

How to Cite
Sun, L.-X., Wang, M., Xia, Y.-S., & Feng, C. (2022). Measuring the inter-structural low-carbon economic inequalities from perspectives of industrial heterogeneity and scale economy: A case study of China’s 29 non-ferrous metal industries. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 28(4), 1022–1043. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2022.16730
Published in Issue
Jun 7, 2022
Abstract Views
678
PDF Downloads
586
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Chang, K., & Chang, H. (2016). Cutting CO2 intensity targets of interprovincial emissions trading in China. Applied Energy, 163, 211–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.10.146

Chen, C., Zhao, T., Yuan, R., & Kong, Y. (2019). A spatial-temporal decomposition analysis of China’s carbon intensity from the economic perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 215, 557–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.073

Chen, X., & Lin, B. (2020). Energy and CO2 emission performance: A regional comparison of China’s non-ferrous metals industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 274, 123168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123168

Cheng, S., Fan, W., Zhang, J., Wang, N., Meng, F., & Liu, G. (2021). Multi-sectoral determinants of carbon emission inequality in Chinese clustering cities. Energy, 214, 118944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.118944

Chu, X., Du, G., Geng, H., & Liu, X. (2021). Can energy quota trading reduce carbon intensity in China? A study using a DEA and decomposition approach. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28, 1275–1285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.08.008

Du, Q., Li, J., Li, Y., Huang, N., Zhou, J., & Li, Z. (2020). Carbon inequality in the transportation industry: Empirical evidence from China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(6), 6300–6311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07291-4

Fan, Y., Liu, L. C., Wu, G., Tsai, H. T., & Wei, Y. M. (2007). Changes in carbon intensity in China: Empirical findings from 1980–2003. Ecological Economics, 62(3–4), 683–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.08.016

Fang, Y., & Deng, W. (2011). Affecting elements and regional variables based on the objective of carbon intensity reduction in China. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 18(2), 109–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2011.552270

Guan, D., Klasen, S., Hubacek, K., Feng, K., Liu, Z., He, K., Geng, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2014). Determinants of stagnating carbon intensity in China. Nature Climate Change, 4(11), 1017–1023. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2388

Guo, F., Zhao, T., Wang, Y., & Wang, Y. (2016). Estimating the abatement potential of provincial carbon intensity based on the environmental learning curve model in China. Natural Hazards, 84(1), 685–705. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2452-4

Huang, J. (2018). Investigating the driving forces of China’s carbon intensity based on a dynamic spatial model. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25(22), 21833–21843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2307-5

Huang, J. B., Chen, X., & Song, Y. (2020). What drives embodied metal consumption in China’s imports and exports. Resources Policy, 69, 101862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101862

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2006). 2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories (Vol. II). Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan. www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.html

Li, A., Hu, M., Wang, M., & Cao, Y. (2016). Energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Eastern and Central China: A temporal and a cross-regional decomposition analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 103, 284–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2015.09.009

Li, M., Mi, Z., Coffman, D. M., & Wei, Y. M. (2018). Assessing the policy impacts on non-ferrous metals industry’s CO2 reduction: Evidence from China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 192, 252–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.015

Li, T., Han, D., Feng, S., & Liang, L. (2019). Can industrial co-agglomeration between producer services and manufacturing reduce carbon intensity in China? Sustainability, 11(15), 4024. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154024

Li, W., & Ou, Q. X. (2013). Decomposition of China’s carbon emissions intensity from 1995 to 2010: An extended Kaya identity. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2013, 973074. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/973074

Li, X., Chalvatzis, K. J., & Pappas, D. (2017). China’s electricity emission intensity in 2020 – an analysis at provincial level. Energy Procedia, 142, 2779–2785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.12.421

Lin, B., & Du, K. (2014). Decomposing energy intensity change: A combination of index decomposition analysis and production-theoretical decomposition analysis. Applied Energy, 129, 158–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.04.101

Lin, B., & Chen, X. (2019). Evaluating the CO2 performance of China’s non-ferrous metals Industry: A total factor meta-frontier Malmquist index perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 209, 1061–1077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.278

Lin, Q., Zhang, L., Qiu, B., Zhao, Y., & Wei, C. (2021). Spatiotemporal analysis of land use patterns on carbon emissions in China. Land, 10(2), 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10020141

Liu, H., & Gong, G. (2021). Spatial-temporal analysis of China’s carbon intensity: A ST-IDA decomposition based on energy input-output table. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(42), 60060–60079. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14877-4

Liu, Y., Wang, M., & Feng, C. (2020). Inequalities of China’s regional low-carbon development. Journal of Environmental Management, 274, 111042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111042

Pan, X., Guo, S., Xu, H., Tian, M., Pan, X., & Chu, J. (2022). China’s carbon intensity factor decomposition and carbon emission decoupling analysis. Energy, 239, 122175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.122175

Pang, J., Li, N., Mu, H., Zhanga, M., & Zhao, H. (2021). Study on the spatial interaction between carbon emission intensity and shadow economy in China. Science of the Total Environment, 152616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152616

Raupach, M. R., Marland, G., Ciais, P., Le Quéré, C., Canadell, J. G., Klepper, G., & Field, C. B. (2007). Global and regional drivers of accelerating CO2 emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(24), 10288–10293. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0700609104

Ren, S., & Hu, Z. (2012). Effects of decoupling of carbon dioxide emission by Chinese nonferrous metals industry. Energy Policy, 43, 407–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.01.021

Shi, Y., & Zhao, T. (2016). A decomposition analysis of carbon dioxide emissions in the Chinese nonferrous metal industry. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 21(6), 823–838. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-014-9624-x

Song, C., Zhao, T., & Wang, J. (2019a). Spatial-temporal analysis of China’s regional carbon intensity based on ST-IDA from 2000 to 2015. Journal of Cleaner Production, 238, 117874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.117874

Song, Y., Huang, J., Zhang, Y., & Wang, Z. (2019b). Drivers of metal consumption in China: An input-output structural decomposition analysis. Resources Policy, 63, 101421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2019.101421

Tian, Q., Zhao, T., & Yuan, R. (2021). An overview of the inequality in China’s carbon intensity 1997–2016: A Theil index decomposition analysis. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 23, 1581–1601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02050-x

Wang, F., Sun, X., Reiner, D. M., & Wu, M. (2020). Changing trends of the elasticity of China’s carbon emission intensity to industry structure and energy efficiency. Energy Economics, 86, 104679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2020.104679

Wang, F., Wang, C., Su, Y., Jin, L., Wang, Y., & Zhang, X. (2017b). Decomposition analysis of carbon emission factors from energy consumption in Guangdong Province from 1990 to 2014. Sustainability, 9(2), 274. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020274

Wang, J., Zhao, T., & Zhang, X. (2017a). Changes in carbon intensity of China’s energy-intensive industries: A combined decomposition and attribution analysis. Natural Hazards, 88(3), 1655–1675. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2938-8

Wang, K., Tian, H., Hua, S., Zhu, C., Gao, J., Xue, Y., Hao, J., Wang, Y., & Zhou, J. (2016). A comprehensive emission inventory of multiple air pollutants from iron and steel industry in China: Temporal trends and spatial variation characteristics. Science of the Total Environment, 559, 7–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.125

Wang, M., & Feng, C. (2018). Decomposing the change in energy consumption in China’s nonferrous metal industry: An empirical analysis based on the LMDI method. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 82(3), 2652–2663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.09.103

Wang, M., & Feng, C. (2019). Decoupling economic growth from carbon dioxide emissions in China’s metal industrial sectors: A technological and efficiency perspective. Science of the Total Environment, 691, 1173–1181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.190

Wang, M., & Feng, C. (2021). Towards a decoupling between economic expansion and carbon dioxide emissions in resources sector: A case study of China’s 29 non-ferrous metal industries. Resources Policy, 74, 102249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102249

Wang, Q., & Wang, S. (2020). Why does China’s carbon intensity decline and India’s carbon intensity rise? a decomposition analysis on the sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 265, 121569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121569

Wang, X., & Lin, B. (2017). Factor and fuel substitution in China’s iron & steel industry: Evidence and policy implications. Journal of Cleaner Production, 141, 751–759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.09.133

Wang, Y., & Chandler, W. (2010). The Chinese nonferrous metals industry – energy use and CO2 emissions. Energy Policy, 38(11), 6475–6484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2009.03.054

Wang, Y., & Zheng, Y. (2020). Spatial effects of carbon emission intensity and regional development in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1–13.

Wang, Y., Shang, P., He, L., Zhang, Y., & Liu, D. (2018). Can China achieve the 2020 and 2030 carbon intensity targets through energy structure adjustment? Energies, 11(10), 2721. https://doi.org/10.3390/en11102721

Wang, Z. C., Mu, H. L., & Li, H. N. (2013). Analysis of China’s CO2 emission and carbon trading potential. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 281, 704–709. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.281.704

Wu, R., Dong, J., Zhou, L., & Zhang, L. (2018). Regional distribution of carbon intensity and its driving factors in China: An empirical study based on provincial data. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 27(3), 1331–1341. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/76364

Wu, Y., Shen, L., Zhang, Y., Shuai, C., Yan, H., Lou, Y., & Ye, G. (2019). A new panel for analyzing the impact factors on carbon emission: A regional perspective in China. Ecological Indicators, 97, 260–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.10.006

Xiao, H., Sun, K., Tu, X., Bi, H., & Wen, M. (2020). Diversified carbon intensity under global value chains: A measurement and decomposition analysis. Journal of Environmental Management, 272, 111076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111076

Xu, S. C., Zhou, Y. F., Feng, C., & Zhang, J. N. (2021). The factors of regional PM2.5 emissions inequality in China. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 150, 79–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2021.04.005

Yang, F., Chou, J., Dong, W., Sun, M., & Zhao, W. (2020). Adaption to climate change risk in eastern China: Carbon emission characteristics and analysis of reduction path. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 115, 102829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2019.102829

Zang, H., Wang, M., & Feng, C. (2021). What determines the climate mitigation process of China’s regional industrial sector? Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(8), 9192–9203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11006-5

Zhang, H., & Ke, H. (2022). Spatial spillover effects of directed technical change on urban carbon intensity, based on 283 cities in China from 2008 to 2019. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1679. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031679

Zhang, L., Chen, D., Peng, S., Pang, Q., & Li, F. (2020). Carbon emissions in the transportation sector of Yangtze River Economic Belt: Decoupling drivers and inequality. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(17), 21098–21108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-08479-9

Zheng, J., Mi, Z., Coffman, D. M., Shan, Y., Guan, D., & Wang, S. (2019). The slowdown in China’s carbon emissions growth in the new phase of economic development. One Earth, 1(2), 240–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2019.10.007

Zhong, M. R., Xiao, S. L., Zou, H., Zhang, Y. J., & Song, Y. (2021). The effects of technical change on carbon intensity in China’s non-ferrous metal industry. Resources Policy, 73, 102226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102226

Zhou, X., Zhou, D., Wang, Q., & Su, B. (2020). Who shapes China’s carbon intensity and how? A demand-side decomposition analysis. Energy Economics, 85, 104600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2019.104600

Zhou, Y., Xu, Y., Liu, C., Fang, Z., & Guo, J. (2019). Spatial effects of technological progress and financial support on China’s provincial carbon emissions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(10), 1743. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101743