IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/119970.html

Balancing Climate Change and Economic Development: the Case of China

Author

Listed:
  • Lin, Fan
  • Xie, Danyang

Abstract

We analyze China's economic growth and climate change relationship using a dynamic equilibrium model with regional disparity. Our simulation findings suggest that without intervention, China's temperatures could rise to 4.7◦C and 3.4◦C in advanced and backward regions, respectively, by mid-next century. A social planner path could limit this rise to 3.3◦C across both regions, yielding welfare benefits. However, if China adheres to the Paris Agreement's 2◦C limit without exceptional low-carbon technology advancements, significant social welfare losses could occur.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin, Fan & Xie, Danyang, 2023. "Balancing Climate Change and Economic Development: the Case of China," MPRA Paper 119970, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:119970
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/119970/1/MPRA_paper_119970.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nordhaus, William D, 1991. "To Slow or Not to Slow: The Economics of the Greenhouse Effect," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 101(407), pages 920-937, July.
    2. Marshall Burke & Solomon M. Hsiang & Edward Miguel, 2015. "Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production," Nature, Nature, vol. 527(7577), pages 235-239, November.
    3. Zhang, Xing-Ping & Cheng, Xiao-Mei, 2009. "Energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(10), pages 2706-2712, August.
    4. Popp, David, 2004. "ENTICE: endogenous technological change in the DICE model of global warming," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 742-768, July.
    5. Robert Inklaar & Marcel P. Timmer, 2014. "The Relative Price of Services," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(4), pages 727-746, December.
    6. Joshua Graff Zivin & Matthew Neidell, 2014. "Temperature and the Allocation of Time: Implications for Climate Change," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 32(1), pages 1-26.
    7. Zili Yang, 2023. "The Model Dimensionality and Its Impacts on the Strategic and Policy Outcomes in IAMs the Findings from the RICE2020 Model," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 62(3), pages 1087-1106, October.
    8. Raphael Calel & Jonathan Colmer & Antoine Dechezleprêtre & Matthieu Glachant, 2025. "Do Carbon Offsets Offset Carbon?," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 1-40, January.
    9. Lu, Chuanyi & Tong, Qing & Liu, Xuemei, 2010. "The impacts of carbon tax and complementary policies on Chinese economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 7278-7285, November.
    10. Govinda R. Timilsina & Jing Cao & Mun Ho, 2018. "Carbon Tax For Achieving China’S Ndc: Simulations Of Some Design Features Using A Cge Model," Climate Change Economics (CCE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(03), pages 1-17, August.
    11. Huang, Bwo-Nung & Hwang, M.J. & Yang, C.W., 2008. "Causal relationship between energy consumption and GDP growth revisited: A dynamic panel data approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 41-54, August.
    12. Desmet, Klaus & Rossi-Hansberg, Esteban, 2015. "On the spatial economic impact of global warming," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 16-37.
    13. Klaus Desmet & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2024. "Climate Change Economics over Time and Space," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 16(1), pages 271-304, August.
    14. Heil, Mark T. & Selden, Thomas M., 2001. "Carbon emissions and economic development: future trajectories based on historical experience," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(1), pages 63-83, February.
    15. Antoci, Angelo & Borghesi, Simone & Galeotti, Marcello & Sodini, Mauro, 2021. "Living in an uncertain world: Environment substitution, local and global indeterminacy," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    16. Christian Broda & David E. Weinstein, 2006. "Globalization and the Gains From Variety," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 121(2), pages 541-585.
    17. William D. Nordhaus, 2011. "Estimates of the Social Cost of Carbon: Background and Results from the RICE-2011 Model," NBER Working Papers 17540, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Charles R. Hulten, 1978. "Growth Accounting with Intermediate Inputs," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 45(3), pages 511-518.
    19. Stephen J. Redding & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2017. "Quantitative Spatial Economics," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 21-58, September.
    20. Arunima Malik & Jun Lan, 2016. "The role of outsourcing in driving global carbon emissions," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 168-182, June.
    21. Nordhaus, William D & Yang, Zili, 1996. "A Regional Dynamic General-Equilibrium Model of Alternative Climate-Change Strategies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(4), pages 741-765, September.
    22. Babatunde, Kazeem Alasinrin & Begum, Rawshan Ara & Said, Fathin Faizah, 2017. "Application of computable general equilibrium (CGE) to climate change mitigation policy: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 61-71.
    23. Nordhaus, William D., 1993. "Rolling the 'DICE': an optimal transition path for controlling greenhouse gases," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 27-50, March.
    24. Brandt, Loren & Holz, Carsten A, 2006. "Spatial Price Differences in China: Estimates and Implications," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(1), pages 43-86, October.
    25. William D. Nordhaus, 2007. "A Review of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 45(3), pages 686-702, September.
    26. David J. Kaczan & Jennifer Orgill-Meyer, 2020. "The impact of climate change on migration: a synthesis of recent empirical insights," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 281-300, February.
    27. World Bank, "undated". "State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2021," World Bank Publications - Reports 35620, The World Bank Group.
    28. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Leonardo Bursztyn & David Hemous, 2012. "The Environment and Directed Technical Change," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 131-166, February.
    29. Gao, Yuning & Li, Meng & Xue, Jinjun & Liu, Yu, 2020. "Evaluation of effectiveness of China's carbon emissions trading scheme in carbon mitigation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    30. Zhi-Fu Mi & Yi-Ming Wei & Bing Wang & Jing Meng & Zhu Liu & Yuli Shan & Jingru Liu & Dabo Guan, 2017. "Socioeconomic impact assessment of China's CO2 emissions peak prior to 2030," CEEP-BIT Working Papers 103, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEP), Beijing Institute of Technology.
    31. Burke, Marshall & Hsiang, Solomon M & Miguel, Edward, 2015. "Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt3g72r0zv, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    32. Emma Paulsson, 2009. "A review of the CDM literature: from fine-tuning to critical scrutiny?," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 63-80, February.
    33. José-Luis Cruz & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2024. "The Economic Geography of Global Warming," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 91(2), pages 899-939.
    34. Shan, Yuli & Liu, Jianghua & Liu, Zhu & Xu, Xinwanghao & Shao, Shuai & Wang, Peng & Guan, Dabo, 2016. "New provincial CO2 emission inventories in China based on apparent energy consumption data and updated emission factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 742-750.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adrien Bilal & James H. Stock, 2025. "A Guide to Macroeconomics and Climate Change," NBER Working Papers 33567, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Frederick van der Ploeg & Armon Rezai & Rick van der Ploeg, 2026. "Climate Change, Climate Policy, and the Macroeconomy," CESifo Working Paper Series 12480, CESifo.
    3. José-Luis Cruz & Esteban Rossi-Hansberg, 2024. "The Economic Geography of Global Warming," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 91(2), pages 899-939.
    4. Caggese, Andrea & Chiavari, Andrea & Goraya, Sampreet & Villegas‑Sanchez, Carolina, 2025. "Climate change, firms and aggregate productivity," Research Bulletin, European Central Bank, vol. 132.
    5. Tol, Richard S.J., 2024. "A meta-analysis of the total economic impact of climate change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    6. Simon Dietz & Nicholas Stern, 2014. "Endogenous growth, convexity of damages and climate risk: how Nordhaus� framework supports deep cuts in carbon emissions," GRI Working Papers 159, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    7. Lianxiao Yao & Minghui Jin, 2025. "The uneven impact of temperature on the macroeconomy: a perspective on total factor productivity," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1-35, August.
    8. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/14g286e42n8bl9is6h16b18kes is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Dietz, Simon & Lanz, Bruno, 2025. "Growth and adaptation to climate change in the long run," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Ralph Hippe, 2015. "Why did the knowledge transition occur in the West and not in the East? ICT and the role of governments in Europe, East Asia and the Muslim world," GRI Working Papers 180, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    11. Berg, Kimberly A. & Curtis, Chadwick C. & Mark, Nelson C., 2024. "GDP and temperature: Evidence on cross-country response heterogeneity," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    12. Halvor B. Storrøsten, 2020. "Emission Regulation of Markets with Sluggish Supply Structures," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 77(1), pages 1-33, September.
    13. Giraldo, Carlos & Giraldo, Iader & Gomez-Gonzalez, Jose E. & Uribe, Jorge M., 2025. "Climate growth at risk in the global south," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    14. Hjort, Ingrid, 2016. "Potential Climate Risks in Financial Markets: A Literature Overview," Memorandum 01/2016, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    15. Lamperti, Francesco & Napoletano, Mauro & Roventini, Andrea, 2020. "Green Transitions And The Prevention Of Environmental Disasters: Market-Based Vs. Command-And-Control Policies," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(7), pages 1861-1880, October.
    16. Melissa Dell & Benjamin F. Jones & Benjamin A. Olken, 2014. "What Do We Learn from the Weather? The New Climate-Economy Literature," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(3), pages 740-798, September.
    17. Wang, Fangzhi & Liao, Hua & Tol, Richard S.J., 2025. "Baumol’s climate disease," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    18. Per Krusell & Tony Smith, 2022. "Climate Change Around the World," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2342, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    19. Huai Deng & Huan Wu & Hui Xu, 2025. "Social cost of carbon under endogenous social adaptation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1-20, April.
    20. Cascarano, Michele & Natoli, Filippo & Petrella, Andrea, 2025. "Entry, exit, and market structure in a changing climate," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    21. Tarsia, Romano, 2024. "Heterogeneous effects of weather shocks on firm economic performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 124251, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • E27 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:119970. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.