Temporal-spatial evolution of environmental inequality of embodied energy transfer within inter-provincial trade of China

Reducing embodied energy inequality is the key to achieve sustainable development. However, research on the spatial-temporal impacts of embodied energy transfer within inter-provincial trade and regional energy inequality is insufficient. Taking the embodied energy inequality of China as the research object, this research establishes the environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model, traces the transfer path of embodied energy and value-added along the national supply chain, and calculates the embodied energy inequality using the regional environmental inequality index. The results show that the developed eastern coastal provinces mainly outsourced the consumption-based embodied energy to the developing regions, such as the northern provinces. Among them, S3 and S4 were the key sectors responsible for embodied energy consumption. Furthermore, when the developed regions traded with the developing regions, the value-added brought by their final demand was mainly retained locally. Some developing regions suffered double losses of embodied energy and value-added, leading to embodied energy inequality. From 2012 to 2017, China's inter-provincial trade witnessed a slight increase in the degree of embodied energy inequality. This study helps to understand the mismatch between domestic environmental burden and economic benefits from the perspective of inter-provincial trade, and provides a decision-making basis for realizing regional equity.