An Analysis of Low-Carbon Economy Efficiency in 30 Provinces of China Based on the Multi-Directional Efficiency Method

In light of the increasing focus on global climate change and environmental issues, countries around the world are collaboratively working towards the establishment of a low-carbon economy (LCE). As the most populous developing nation, China is proactively advocating for low-carbon economic development as a means to achieve sustainable growth. Nevertheless, the efficiency of the low-carbon economy (LCEE) exhibits considerable variation across different regions within China. This article seeks to explore the regional disparities in LCEE throughout the country and to identify the factors that contribute to these variations. Firstly, this paper examines the advancements in LCEE research, concentrating on an analysis of 30 Chinese provinces. Employing the Multi-directional Efficiency Analysis (MEA) framework alongside the global Malmquist (GM) index, this study evaluates the efficiency of the low-carbon economy across the 30 provinces from 2010 to 2021. Secondly, by integrating spatial autocorrelation analysis techniques, the research encompasses a multifaceted examination, including spatiotemporal analysis, regional disparities, driving factors, and potential for improvement. The findings indicate significant discrepancies in LCEE among various provinces in China. Notably, LCEE tends to be higher in the eastern coastal regions, attributed to their advanced economic development, whereas the western inland areas generally exhibit lower efficiency levels due to comparatively limited economic progress. Thirdly, LCEE exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with clear high–high and low–low clustering patterns, revealing systemic coordination gaps between eastern coastal and central/western regions. Fourthly, from the decomposition results of the global Malmquist index, it can be seen that efficiency change (EC) is less than 1 and technology change (TC) is greater than 1, which promotes the improvement of LCEE. Technical efficiency is the main factor affecting the improvement of LCEE.