Does the transformation of resource-dependent cities promote the realization of the carbon-peaking goal? An analysis based on typical resource-dependent city clusters in China. (10th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Ji; Zhang, Zeyang; Xu, Xiangbo; Chang, Dunhu
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 365(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09-10
• Subjects: Resource-dependent city -- Carbon peaking -- Industrial transformation -- Green technology innovation -- Environmental regulation -- Carbon emission intensity; 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.2022.132731
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: The key to transforming resource-dependent cities is for them to stop depending on resources for economic development. This would be a sustainable development path to lead to the peaking of carbon emissions. The carbon-peaking goal imposes strong carbon emission constraints and improper responses challenge the low-carbon transformation of resource-dependent cities. Continuous reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions is necessary for achieving the carbon-peaking goal. The transformation of resource-dependent cities, characterized by industrial transformation, tends to achieve this goal indirectly by reducing resource depletions. Effective environmental regulation introduces a more direct mechanism to reduce the intensity of carbon emissions on the terminal-end. Therefore, this study explores the carbon-peaking effect of resource-dependent city transformation and its mechanisms using the propensity score matching combined difference-in-differences method. The panel data from 324 districts and counties from 2005 to 2017 is selected based on the industrial transformation of typical resource-dependent cities in the adjoining Shanxi Province, Shaanxi Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China initiated in 2009. The results show that industrial transformation only focuses on the stop-loss effect of cities with high-resource-dependence and promotes the continuous reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions at the early stages of resource-dependent city transformation. Furthermore, the carbon-peaking momentum during this transformation is a direct result of the increase in green technology innovation which introduces new mechanisms for green low-carbon development to transforming city. Meanwhile, environmental regulations achieve the carbon-peaking goal by increasing green total factor productivity through restraining existing high-carbon development inertia thereby reducing the intensity of carbon emissions. Therefore, environmental regulations and industrial transformation need to be coordinated, through combination of introducing green low-carbon mechanisms and restraining high-carbon development inertia, to jointly reduce the intensity of carbon emissions and create a sustainable mechanism for resource-dependent cities to achieve the carbon-peaking goal. Highlights: The transformation of resource-dependent cities promotes carbon peaking in China. Both industry transformation and environmental regulation benefit carbon peaking. Environmental regulation reduces carbon-emission by green total factor productivity. Development transformation needs green innovation besides industrial substitution. New low-carbon mechanisms need curbing high-carbon development inertia meanwhile.