Energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Eastern and Central China: A temporal and a cross-regional decomposition analysis

With heavy industrial structure moving westward, to make out the difference of low-carbon development between eastern and central China seems important. For this purpose, this paper compares several representative indicators about energy-related CO2 emissions among nine typical regions from 1990 to 2010. Then two forms of carbon intensity, namely, CO2 emissions per unit of GDP and CO2 emissions per capita are decomposed with a temporal and a cross-regional Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique. Thus the roles of driving forces for the changes in carbon intensity are analyzed by region during five study periods, and the main causes for the variation in carbon intensity between eastern and central China in 2010 are also compared. The analysis results show that central China has a challenge to keep the relative lower levels of these two forms of carbon intensity compared with that of eastern China, economic growth in central China needs to choose a low-carbon development road. In terms of eastern China, growth mode of Beijing and its surrounding areas should be integrally planned from the viewpoint of regional coordination. Finally, high-efficient utilization of coal should be promoted in heavy industrial sector for the mitigation of CO2 emissions in central and eastern China.