Does technical progress curb India's carbon emissions? A novel approach of combining extended index decomposition analysis and production-theoretical decomposition analysis. (15th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Qiang; Han, Xinyu; Li, Rongrong
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 310(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05-15
• Subjects: Carbon emission -- Production-theoretical decomposition analysis -- Carbon intensity of energy -- Energy intensity of value added -- Data envelopment analysis; PI Primary industry -- LIM Labor-intensive manufacturing -- CIM Capital-intensive manufacturing -- KIM Knowledge-intensive manufacturing -- SI Service industry -- CRS Constant returns to scale -- VRS Variable returns to scale; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Technical progress is one of the best strategies to meet the dual challenges of economic growth and carbon emissions control in developing countries such as India. In this research, an empirical study of India's carbon emissions was conducted to understand the effects of various technical factors on total and industrial carbon emission intensity. Ten driving factors of carbon emission in 56 sectors of India are decomposed by combining Index Decomposition Analysis (IDA) and Production-theoretical Decomposition Analysis (PDA). The results reveal that (i) the pure carbon-reduction technical efficiency and the scale efficiency of carbon-reduction technology in India have not improved, and the technical progress of pure carbon-reduction and the scale efficiency of carbon-reduction technology has played a positive role in carbon emission. (ii) The scale efficiency of pure energy-saving technology progress is the most important factor in restraining carbon emissions, and pure energy-saving technology progress has had an overall promoting effect. However, the effect of energy-saving technology progress is not as effective as the scale efficiency through improving energy technology progress. (iii) Per capita value added and population size are powerful factors that promote carbon emissions. This study also makes a targeted analysis of the driving factors of carbon emissions in different industries, which provide a reference for the process of carbon-reduction in different industries. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Investigating the effects of various technical factors on total carbon emission and carbon emission intensity. Combining Index Decomposition Analysis and Production-theoretical Decomposition Analysis. Ten driving factors of carbon emission in India's 56 sectors were decomposed. Technique factors have not effectively offset Indian carbon emission. The effect of technological progress on carbon efficiency needs to be improved.