Exploring Potential Pathways toward Energy-Related Carbon Emission Reduction in Heavy Industrial Regions of China: An Input–Output Approach

It is a very urgent issue to reduce energy-related carbon emissions in China. The three northeastern provinces (Heilongjiang (HLJ), Jilin (JL), and Liaoning (LN)) are typical heavy industrial regions in China, playing an important role in the national carbon emission reduction target. In this study, we analyzed the energy consumption, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and CO₂ emission intensity of each sector in the three regions, and we compared them with the national level and those of China’s most developed province Guangdong (GD). Then, based on an input–output (I–O) framework, linkage analysis of production and CO₂ emission from sector–system and sector–sector dimensions was conducted. The results showed that the three regions accounted for about 1/10 of China’s energy consumption and 1/6 of China’s CO₂ emissions in 2012. In addition, the level of energy structure, CO₂ emission intensity, and sectoral structure lagged behind China’s average level, much lower than those for GD. According to the sectoral characteristics of each region and unified backward/forward linkages of production and CO₂ emissions, we divided sectoral clusters into those whose development was to be encouraged and those whose development was to be restricted. The results of this paper could provide policy–makers with reference to exploring potential pathways toward energy-related carbon emission reduction in heavy industrial regions. View Full-Text