Interregional polarized and trickling-down effect of carbon emission space and the optimization policies: Case studies of the Jing-Jin-Ji region. (10th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Yang; Dong, Suocheng; Li, Fujia; Cheng, Hao; Chi, Yuanying; Li, Zehong; Li, Shantong; Liu, Qian; Xia, Bing; Li, Yu
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 370(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10-10
• Subjects: Polarized and trickling-down effect -- Transfer of carbon emissions embodied in trade -- Carbon emission space -- Driving mechanism -- Optimization policies -- The Jing-Jin-Ji region; 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.2022.133426
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Research has shown that there is huge amount of transfer of carbon emissions embodied in trade (CEs-ET) between developed and underdeveloped regions, which causes equity and efficiency losses in carbon emission (CE) reduction. The exploration of effective approaches to mitigate CEs-ET transfer and promote CE reduction has become worldwide hot but difficult issues. This research innovatively introduced the polarized and trickling-down effect in development economics and the environmental externality theory in environmental economics into the study of CEs-ET transfer, and demonstrated that the net CEs-ET inflow to developed regions from underdeveloped regions is actually the polarized effect of "carbon emission space (CES)" of developed regions on underdeveloped regions caused by regional economic development gaps. To reduce CEs-ET transfer and promote the overall CE reduction, it is required to formulate regional collaboratively implemented environmental-economic policies from the perspective of increasing interregional cooperation, to reduce the CES-polarized effect and improve the CES-trickling-down effect. Next, we chose the typical and representative region in study of CEs-ET transfer, the Jing-Jin-Ji region, as case studies, to illustrate the CES-polarized and CES-trickling-down effects based on the latest 2002–2017 interregional input-output (I–O) data. By applying the models of emissions embodied in bilateral trade (EEBT) and structural decomposition analysis (SDA), we evaluated the evolution of the CES-polarized effects in the Jing-Jin-Ji region and their driving mechanism. We found that Beijing and Tianjin had an obvious CES-polarized effect on Hebei, the Beijing-Hebei and Tianjin-Hebei CES-polarized effect firstly strengthened and then weakened, and was highly concentrated in a few industries such as electricity steam and hot water production and supply (ElectpowerProd), metals smelting and processing (MetalSmelt), and Coal mining and processing (Coalmin). Scale and technology were the key driving factors, but for different industries, scale and technology functioned differently. The trickling down of technology and scale in the Jing-Jin-Ji region produced a CES-trickling-down effect and restricted further aggravation of the CES-polarized effect. Subsequently, we established a coupling relationship (CR) model, which comprehensively compared the economic and environmental effects of adjusting the trade value of an industry. Finally, by combining the industrial CES-polarized effect, the SDA results, and the CR results, we identified the key regulating industries and put forward the Beijing-Hebei, Tianjin-Hebei, and the Jing-Jin-Ji collaboratively implemented optimization policies, to reduce the CES-polarized effect, improve the CES-trickling-down effect, and promote the collaborative CE reduction in the Jing-Jin-Ji region. This research could enrich the theoretical connotation and driving mechanism analysis of the formation and evolution of CEs-ET transfer, and provide a new reference for the formulation of an effective and cost-effective regional collaboratively implemented CE reduction scheme between developed and underdeveloped regions. Highlights: Underdeveloped regions become destinations of CEs in developed regions by CEs-ET. It actually is the polarized and trickling-down effect of CE space (PTE-CES). Regional cooperation is essential to reduce the CES-polarized effect and CEs. The Jing-Jin-Ji region is studied to illustrate the PTE-CES. More practical and effective Jing-Jin-Ji CE reduction policies are proposed.