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It is necessary for China to accelerate the low-carbon power transition to realize the carbon neutrality target by 2060. Based on the goal of carbon neutrality, Deep Reinforcement Learning with the Double Q-learning method is used to solve a multi-agent game in 30 provinces of China, in an attempt to explore the evolutionary process of regional low-carbon power transition strategies, carbon emissions, and carbon emission decoupling with economic growth. Conclusions are obtained as follows. First, regional low-carbon power transition strategies are not consistent. Though China is bound to achieve the carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the carbon peak and carbon neutrality process will vary widely across regions and over time. Second, the cost of power decarbonization is higher in resource-based regions than that in core regions. The regional coordination policy can reduce the total carbon emissions in resource-based regions, but it will not alleviate their carbon emission decoupling costs. Third, the stable strategy of low-carbon power transition needs faster economic development and more abundant zero-carbon resources. Therefore, the carbon neutrality policy is suggested to be more spatially differentiated, more equitable, and more robust. • The multi-agent game mechanism is constructed by the MRIO model and DDQN algorithm. • Regional low-carbon power transition strategies are uncertain. • China can achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. But the carbon neutrality process will be different between regions. • Most regions can achieve strong carbon emission decoupling by 2060, but resource-based provinces cannot. • The stable strategy needs faster economic development and more abundant zero-carbon resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry plays a crucial role in China's fulfillment of the goal of achieving "carbon neutrality" in 2060. Based on the data of energy and building materials consumption of the construction industry in China and 30 provinces from 2008 to 2018, this paper constructs a model for measuring provincial CO2 emissions of China's construction industry and establishes a Kuznets curve and elastic decoupling model of the industry's CO2 emissions. The analysis based on the models shows that: (1) the CO2 emissions of China's construction industry show a trend of increasing first and then decreasing; (2) in terms of the decoupling effects, most provinces are in a weak decoupling status of CO2 emissions; and (3) the Kuznets curve of the provincial construction industry shows an inverted "U" shape in recent years, and it is predicted that the CO2 emissions of the construction industry will reach the peak in 2034. It is possible for the construction industry to achieve "carbon neutrality", but long-term efforts must be made for strategic planning, policies and regulations, industry standards, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigation pathways play a vital role in realizing carbon neutrality. However, the complex relationships within the social system remain unclear, particularly the economic and energy effects on a macroeconomic level and the critical sectors. This study assesses the economic cost and energy transition effects of different policy scenarios based on an improved dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The results show that (1) energy structure optimization (E2) and integrated policy scenarios could achieve the carbon neutrality target. In addition, carbon sink is another critical factor that can offset the remaining emissions. (2) Projected GDP losses in 2060 fluctuate from 0.7% in the carbon trading scenario (C1) to 4.92% in E2. Energy structure optimization and energy technology scenarios exert greater impacts on the power and iron and steel sectors. (3) The energy structure optimization scenario (high renewable HR: 9.23 billion tce) has the most significant impact on energy consumption, whereas the energy technology policy scenario (E2: 9.48 billion tce) has the smallest effect on energy consumption. (4) One integrated policy scenario (HRC4E2: 7.1 × 104 tons) has the most prominent air pollutant reduction potential, followed by LRC2E2 (25.0 × 104 tons) and HRC3E1 (10.1 × 104 tons). • An improved CGE model framework was developed. • Analyze economic cost, energy transition and pollutant effect towards carbon neutrality. • The integrated policy scenarios are crucial in achieving carbon neutrality. • The CCS technology helps long-term CO 2 emissions reduction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]