The effects of urbanization and household-related factors on residential direct CO2 emissions in Shanxi, China from 1995 to 2014: A decomposition analysis

Multiple household-related driving factors of residential direct carbon emissions (RDCE) in China at regional level have not yet been sufficiently addressed or quantified. In this paper, a logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition analysis was employed to examine the factors (e.g., the number of households, per capita household income, household size, urbanization, energy intensity, energy structure and emission coefficient) impacting the changes in RDCE in Shanxi province of China from 1995 to 2014. The results showed that the increase in RDCE mainly attributed to the growing per capita household income and the increasing number of households. Additionally, the expansion of urbanization also contributed marginally to the increase in emissions. However, the shrinking household size was a main inhibitory factor and the decline in energy intensity was also responsible for the diminishing emissions. Based on the results, four emission reduction measures and strategies were identified: (i) using market economic mechanism to regulate household consumption behaviors towards environment protection and low carbon development, as well as encouraging the use of energy-efficiency domestic appliances and less energy-intensive lifestyles; (ii) setting strict divorce processes to lower divorce rates and encouraging people to live with their children and parents; (iii) realizing green transformation development of urbanization; (iv) promoting a shift to renewable and clean energy in people's daily life and power generation, e.g., wind, solar, hydro, nuclear and biogas.