Spatial and temporal evolution of urban carbon emission efficiency in China

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 53; pp. 114471 - 114483
• Main Authors: Zhao, Xiaochun, Li, Taiwei, Duan, Xin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Carbon; Carbon neutrality; China; Cities; Clusters; Data Analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Economic Development; Ecotoxicology; Efficiency; Emission analysis; Emissions; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Research Article; Spatial analysis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; China; Spatial and temporal evolution; Carbon emission efficiency; Kernel density estimation; Super-efficiency SBM model; Moran’s index
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30389-9

Improving carbon emission efficiency is crucial for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. This paper analyzes the carbon emission efficiency of Chinese cities using panel data from 275 prefecture-level cities between 2006 and 2020. The super-efficiency SBM (undesirable slacks-based measurement) model of undesired output, combined with kernel density estimation and exploratory data analysis, is employed. This study finds, firstly, from 2006 to 2020, the average efficiency of carbon emissions in Chinese cities declined from 0.53 to 0.48, indicating a downward trend. Secondly, from a temporal perspective, the level of dispersion in urban carbon emission efficiency has become increasingly distinct over time, coupled with a decrease in polarization. Thirdly, in terms of spatial analysis, urban carbon emission efficiency in China shows a positive correlation in a global context. In terms of local spatial correlation, it primarily exhibits high-high and low-low clusters, with a few instances of low–high and high-low clusters. Finally, based on the research findings, this paper proposes suggestions to improve urban carbon emission efficiency.