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China’S Target Responsibility System And Convergence Of Co2 Emissions

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  • YOUNGPING SUN

    (Center for Hubei Cooperation Innovation of Emissions Trading System, Hubei University of Economics, China)

Abstract

China has established and assigned target responsibilities for local officials in energy conservation and created an evaluation indicator, which is a key institutional arrangement that provides local officials with political incentives to promote carbon abatement policies. In this paper, we elaborate on the relationship between China’s target responsibility system and CO2 emissions using interprovincial panel data, grouping provinces into Eastern, Central and Western regions to compare China’s CO2 emissions convergence between the periods of the 10th Five-year Plan and the 11th Five-year Plan. The analysis indicates that the target responsibility system does not noticeably change local officials’ political incentives to engage in carbon abatement because the effect of the target responsibility system for energy conservation seems to be overshadowed by and subject to gross domestic product (GDP) growth targets. Against the backdrop of growing international pressure on climate change issues, this paper argues that China must include in the target responsibility system an indicator of absolute CO2 emissions reduction as a policy objective.

Suggested Citation

  • Youngping Sun, 2018. "China’S Target Responsibility System And Convergence Of Co2 Emissions," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 63(02), pages 431-445, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:serxxx:v:63:y:2018:i:02:n:s0217590817400197
    DOI: 10.1142/S0217590817400197
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Fangjun & Sun, Junqin & Liu, Yang Stephanie, 2019. "Institutional pressure, ultimate ownership, and corporate carbon reduction engagement: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 14-26.
    2. Zhang, Ping & Shi, XunPeng & Sun, YongPing & Cui, Jingbo & Shao, Shuai, 2019. "Have China's provinces achieved their targets of energy intensity reduction? Reassessment based on nighttime lighting data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 276-283.
    3. Wang, Guofeng & Deng, Xiangzheng & Wang, Jingyu & Zhang, Fan & Liang, Shiqi, 2019. "Carbon emission efficiency in China: A spatial panel data analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Guilhot, Laëtitia, 2022. "An analysis of China's energy policy from 1981 to 2020: Transitioning towards to a diversified and low-carbon energy system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Zhang, Pan & Wang, Huan, 2022. "Do provincial energy policies and energy intensity targets help reduce CO2 emissions? Evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).

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