The inequality of China's regional residential CO2 emissions

Driven by continuous income increases and the urgent need to improve living conditions, CO2 emissions generated from residential energy consumption have gradually become the main source of China's CO2 emissions growth. Because of both natural and social factors, China has significant CO2 emission inequalities, however, there is few literature on residential carbon inequality and its driving factors. Using the provincial panel data of Chinese residential sector from 2005 to 2017, this article examines residential CO2 emission inequality (carbon inequality) and its driving factors from a static and dynamic perspective to provide empirical support for the formulation of emission reduction policies and the allocation of regional emission reduction quotas. The results indicate that residential carbon inequality grew from 2005 to 2017. The energy intensity disparity was the main contributor in promoting carbon inequality increases, and its effects demonstrated an increasing trend. Per capita income disparity was the second largest factor in the growth of residential carbon inequality, with a contribution of approximately 20%. Additionally, the urban and rural structure also positively widened carbon inequality, but its contribution decreased. Conversely, the energy structure disparity actively facilitated a reduction of carbon inequality, although such active effects were minor. Based on these results, policies relevant narrowing the regional gaps of energy intensity, per capita income, and urbanization were proposed for decreasing carbon inequality of China's residential sector. (C) 2021 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The residential sector in China has seen a gradual increase in carbon inequality, driven primarily by disparities in energy intensity and per capita income. The urban-rural structure also plays a role in widening carbon inequality, while disparities in energy structure have a minor but positive impact on reducing carbon inequality.