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Evaluating the low-carbon development of urban China

Author

Listed:
  • Ying QU

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Yue LIU

    (Dalian University of Technology)

Abstract

Facing the ever-increasing serious pollution from carbon emission and the pressing need for sustainable development, China initiated the strategy of low-carbon development in 2010. Since then, eight cities and five provinces have been selected as pilot areas to develop a low-carbon economy. Under such a circumstance, this study aimed to construct a indicator system and evaluating model so that the low-carbon development levels of the pilot cities can be quantified. Therefore, this study, based the on Driving Force–Pressure–State–Impact–Response model, established a regional low-carbon development indicator system. Second, the weight of each indicator was calculated by taking the entropy method. Third, the low-carbon development levels were measured and evaluated by taking the comprehensive approach of Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution. Then, taking 10 cities from those 13 pilot areas as case studies, this study measured and compared the low-carbon development levels of those 10 cities before and after being pilot areas. The research findings showed that though the low-carbon development levels changed greatly, only five pilot cities’ growth rate is positive. The reasons for changes in the low-carbon development levels were analyzed. The urbanization level and energy consumption elasticity coefficient were the main factors affecting the low-carbon development levels. Additionally, the study traced the effective policies hidden behind the indicators, which provided policy insights to help decision makers prepare their low-carbon development strategies, including legislation efforts, economic instrument, renewable energy and energy-saving technology improvement and low-carbon transportation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ying QU & Yue LIU, 2017. "Evaluating the low-carbon development of urban China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 939-953, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:19:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s10668-016-9777-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-016-9777-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Tingru Yang & Hua Liao & Yi-Ming Wei, 2023. "Goal setting for low-carbon development in regional China: role of achievement in the last term," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 10197-10215, September.
    2. Yue Liu & Ying Qu & Zhen Lei & Wenhua Wang, 2020. "Multi-sector reduction potential of embodied carbon emissions in China: a case study of Liaoning province," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 5585-5602, August.
    3. Da Gao & Yanjun Cao & Chang Liu, 2023. "The Low-Carbon Policy and Urban Green Total Factor Energy Efficiency: Evidence from a Spatial Difference-in-Difference Method," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    4. Zhaojun Yang & Xiaoting Guo & Jun Sun & Yali Zhang, 2021. "Contextual and organizational factors in sustainable supply chain decision making: grey relational analysis and interpretative structural modeling," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 12056-12076, August.
    5. Juan Yin & Jin Guo, 2022. "Ecological Effect Assessment of Low-Carbon City Construction in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-19, November.
    6. Xiaosheng Li & Yunxia Shu & Xin Jin, 2022. "Environmental regulation, carbon emissions and green total factor productivity: a case study of China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2577-2597, February.
    7. Huang, Jingchang & Zhao, Jing & Cao, June, 2021. "Environmental regulation and corporate R&D investment—evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 154-174.
    8. Ying Qu & Yue Liu & Wenhua Wang & Yaodong Cang, 2021. "Sustainability assessment of urban residential consumption in China megacity," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 7509-7523, May.
    9. Huang, Jingchang & Cao, June & Hasan, Tahseen & Zhao, Jing, 2021. "Low-carbon city initiatives and firm risk: A quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    10. Scott Y. Lin, 2021. "Bringing resource management back into the environmental governance agenda: eco-state restructuring in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 12272-12301, August.
    11. Tao Peng & Zhiyuan Jin & Lujun Xiao, 2022. "Evaluating low-carbon competitiveness under a DPSIR-Game Theory-TOPSIS model—A case study," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 5962-5990, April.
    12. Kun Chen & Yinrong Chen & Qingying Zhu & Min Liu, 2022. "The Relationship between Environmental Regulation, Industrial Transformation Change and Urban Low-Carbon Development: Evidence from 282 Cities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-15, October.
    13. Jun Wang & Zhuofei Liu & Long Shi & Jinghua Tan, 2022. "The Impact of Low-Carbon Pilot City Policy on Corporate Green Technology Innovation in a Sustainable Development Context—Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-23, September.
    14. Tao Peng & Hongwei Deng, 2021. "Research on the sustainable development process of low-carbon pilot cities: the case study of Guiyang, a low-carbon pilot city in south-west China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 2382-2403, February.

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