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The Chinese government has committed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit gross domestic product by 60–65% from 2005 levels by 2030. In order to achieve this commitment, various measures should be taken. Due to the complex relationship between carbon emission and economic development, it is critical to quantify the impacts of different measures. Under such a circumstance, this paper is to identify the effects of carbon tax on the sectoral competitiveness in Shanghai by 2030 under unequal imposition of carbon tax between Shanghai and the rest of China by using a two-region dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. Research results show that different carbon tax rates in different regions would affect GDP of Shanghai and the outcomes are different under different scenarios. In general, a lower carbon tax rate can lead to a higher output and these output changes could further influence the sectoral competitiveness. Under the tax44 scenario, sectors such as agriculture, textile, transport equipment, and electronics are the winners in Shanghai, with outputs increased by 2.02%, 1.47%, 1.08% and 3.05%, respectively; while food production, petrol oil, chemicals and non-metal are the losers, with outputs decreased by 2.02%, 0.87%, 0.03% and 2.39%, respectively. This study also reveals that price and scale effects are the key factors influencing the changes of sectoral outputs. Such findings provide useful insights to those policy makers to allocate appropriate carbon reduction targets to different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explore carbon tax pilot in Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomerations based on a novel energy-saving and emission-reduction (ESER) system with carbon tax constraints, which has not yet been discussed in present literature. A novel carbon tax attractor is achieved through the discussion of the dynamic behavior of the new system. Based on the genetic algorithm-back propagation neural network, the quantitative coefficients of the actual system are identified. The scenario analysis results show that, under the same tax rate and constraint conditions, the ESER system in YRD urban agglomerations is superior to the average case in China, in which the impacts on economic growth are almost the same. The former’s energy intensity is lower and the shock resistance is stronger. It is found that economic property of YRD urban agglomerations is the main cause for the ESER system of YRD urban agglomerations being superior. In the current YRD urban agglomerations’ ESER system, energy intensity cannot be adjusted to an ideal level by commercialization management and government control; however, it is under effective control of carbon tax incentives. Therefore, strengthening the economic property of YRD urban agglomerations and effective utilization of carbon tax incentives could perfectly control energy intensity, without obvious potential negative impact on economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]