CO2 emissions and poverty alleviation in China: An empirical study based on municipal panel data. (20th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jin, Gui; Fu, Rao; Li, Zhihui; Wu, Feng; Zhang, Fan
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 202(2018)
• Page Start: 883
• Page End: 891
• Publication Date: 2018-11-20
• Subjects: CO2 emissions -- Climate change -- Social poverty -- Influencing mechanism -- Simultaneous equations -- China; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.221
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Industrial transition and climate change regulation to reduce CO2 emissions will affect employment and further influence social poverty. In this study, we measured CO2 emissions and the poverty-alleviation index based on socio-economic and energy consumption statistic data from 286 municipal cities in China for 2007–2014; analyzed relationships between CO2 emissions, employment rate, and poverty-alleviation index using simultaneous equations; and interpreted the mechanism by which CO2 emissions influence social poverty at the municipal level. The results indicate that average CO2 emissions from China increased by 32.9%, with a rapid initial rise and then steady growth from 2007 to 2014, while the average poverty-alleviation index increased by 25.19% during the same period. CO2 emissions had a significant positive relationship with employment rate in all industries. In addition, employment rate was negatively correlated with poverty-alleviation in primary industry and positively correlated with poverty-alleviation in non-agricultural industry. Studying the mechanisms for CO2 emission impacts on poverty-alleviation can provide important references for adapting to global climate change, promoting sustainable development, and safeguarding the legitimate development rights of all countries, especially developing countries. Highlights: There exist obvious spatiotemporal differences in municipal-scale CO2 emissions and poverty-alleviation in China. CO2 emissions have an overall positive impact on employment rate in both non-agricultural and primary industries. A significantly correlation is presented between employment rate and poverty-alleviation index.