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China's carbon emission trading policy plays a crucial role in achieving both its "3060" dual carbon objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) on climate action. The policy's effectiveness in reducing pollution and mitigating carbon emissions holds significant importance. This paper investigated whether China's carbon emission trading policy affects pollution reduction (PM 2.5 and SO 2) and carbon mitigation (CO 2) in pilot regions, using panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China from 2005 to 2019 and employing a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model. Furthermore, it analyzed the heterogeneity of carbon market mechanisms and regional variations. Finally, it examined the governance pathways for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation from a holistic perspective. The results indicate that: (1) China's carbon emission trading policy has reduced CO 2 emissions by 18% and SO 2 emissions by 36% in pilot areas, with an immediate impact on the "carbon mitigation" effect, while the "pollution reduction" effect exhibits a time lag. (2) Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger "carbon mitigation" effect, and larger carbon market scales are associated with greater "pollution reduction" effects on PM 2.5. Governance effects on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation vary among pilot regions: Carbon markets of Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin show significant governance effects in both "pollution reduction" and "carbon mitigation", whereas Guangdong's carbon market exhibits only a "pollution reduction" effect, and Hubei's carbon market demonstrates only a "carbon mitigation" effect. (3) Currently, China's carbon emission trading policy achieves pollution reduction and carbon mitigation through "process management" and "end-of-pipe treatment". This study could provide empirical insights and policy implications for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, as well as for the development of China's carbon emission trading market. • China's carbon emission trading (CET) policy promotes pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. • Higher carbon trading prices lead to stronger "carbon mitigation" effect. • Larger carbon market scales bring greater "pollution reduction" effects on PM 2.5. • Regional heterogeneity exists on pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource-based cities generally face the dual pressures of ecological damage and high carbon emissions. Taking the National Sustainable Development Plan for Resource-Based Cities (NSDP) issued in China as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper for the first time, uses the difference-in-difference method to test the coordinated effect of green expansion and carbon reduction brought by NSDP at the county level using rich remote sensing data. The results show that NSDP has significantly promoted the ecological quality improvement and CO 2 emission mitigation in resource-based cities, and the above coordinated benefits mainly occur in energy, mature, declining, northeastern, and municipal resource-based cities. Through the mechanism analysis, we find that NSDP mainly works by promoting the transformation of industry sector to agriculture, animal husbandry, accommodation and catering, finance, and environment management sectors, which are reflected in output, employment, product yield, land type and land transaction area. Further discussion on the tertiary industry suggests that developing tourism, easing financing constraint and strengthening environment regulation, are the key channels to borne fruit in green expansion and carbon reduction. • Analysis of placed-based policy on resource at the county-level. • Coordinated effects of green expansion and carbon reduction are tested. • Key areas of policy effects are identified. • Industrial structure transformation and its related mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the gross trade accounting method and WIOD data, this paper quantifies the global carbon transfer from 2000 to 2014. The social network analysis and temporal exponential random graph model (TERGM) are employed to investigate the structural change and influencing factors of global carbon transfer network from a global value chains (GVCs) perspective. Results show that the deepening of the GVC division connection has enhanced the relations in global carbon transfer network, and the low reciprocity and high disassortativity lie in the difference in GVC division positions among economies. Block model analysis manifests that Plate Ⅱ acts as the engine plate in the network which consists of China and the other four economies. The GVC division connection and relative GVC division position significantly facilitate the formation of carbon emission transfer relations. Moreover, economies' attribute effects and endogenous network structure effects are non-negligible important determinants of network formation. [Display omitted] • Structural change of global carbon transfer network derives from the GVC division. • Global carbon transfer network has low reciprocity and high disassortativity. • Plate Ⅱ composed of China and the other four economies is the engine plate. • Temporal exponential random graph model is used to analyze the influencing factors. • GVC division connection and relative division position boot the network formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of China's foreign direct investment (FDI) on the carbon emissions of its domestic economy and the Belt and Road countries (BRCs). Total inward FDI into China as a host country shows a pollution reducing effect in the western and eastern regions while that in the central region remains unchanged. But China's outward FDI particularly from its eastern region reduces pollution in China. This suggests that China could be exporting carbon emissions via its FDI in the BRCs. The effects on BRCs' pollution from China's FDI is however different depending on the country's level of development. China's FDI was found to have no effect on high and upper middle income BRCs; a decreasing effect on low income BRCs; and an increasing effect on lower middle income BRCs. Evidence shows that China needs to consider a mix of policies to manage its inward and outward FDI to ensure its move to a low carbon economy benefits its own regional development and the BRCs by not contributing to increased carbon emissions. • FDI into China does not reduce pollution in all its regions. • China's FDI to its BRCs has mixed effects on their pollution. • China's low carbon commitments for its FDI strategies needs a rethink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the enlarging inter-provincial disparities in China as regards carbon emissions and carbon intensity (carbon emissions per unit gross domestic product), this paper is the first study to investigate the inter-provincial carbon imbalance by constructing and employing the Kaya-Zenga index. We use China's panel data of provincial-level carbon emissions over 1995–2016 to quantitatively measure the levels of inter-provincial imbalance and polarization in carbon emissions and carbon intensity. Further, we decompose the Kaya-Zenga index into different contributing factors both regionally and structurally and perform a scenario analysis to identify the corresponding regionally differentiated countermeasures regarding carbon emission reduction. The results show that the imbalance in carbon emissions is mainly caused by imbalances in population scale and income level, while the imbalance in carbon intensity predominantly results from imbalances in energy efficiency and energy mix. In addition, for heavy manufacturing provinces, the respective emission-reduction strategy should aim at lowering energy intensity through local technology improvement and inter-regional technology transfer. For light manufacturing and high technology provinces, carbon emission reduction is harder to be achieved; however, a mix of policies of improving energy efficiency, optimizing energy mix, and industrial upgrading should be implemented. The results of the scenario analysis indicate that reducing imbalance in carbon intensity under different scenarios can lead to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions (up to 10%). • We investigate the inter-provincial carbon imbalance within China. • We construct the Kaya-Zenga index and decompose the index into four contributors. • We use a panel data set of 30 provincial-level regions in China over 1995–2016. • Carbon imbalance is mainly caused by imbalances in population and energy efficiency. • Reducing intra-group imbalance in carbon intensity can abate carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]