Search

Resource-based cities are important strategic bases for securing resources in China and have made great contributions to the country's economic development. Long-term extensive resource development has made resource-based cities an important region constraining China from achieving comprehensive low-carbon development. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the low-carbon transition path of resource-based cities for their energy greening, industrial transformation, and high-quality economic development. This study compiled the CO2 emission inventory of resource-based cities in China from 2005 to 2017, explored the contribution to CO2 emissions from three perspectives (driver, industry, and city), and predicted the peak of CO2 emissions in resource-based cities. The results show that resource-based cities contribute 18.4% of the country's GDP and emit 44.4% of the country's CO2 and that economic growth and CO2 emissions have not yet been decoupled. The per capita CO2 emissions and emission intensity of resource-based cities are 1.8 times and 2.4 times higher than the national average, respectively. Economic growth and energy intensity are the biggest drivers and main inhibitors of CO2 emissions growth. Industrial restructuring has become the biggest inhibitor of CO2 emissions growth. Based on the different resource endowments, industrial structures, and socio-economic development levels of resource-based cities, we propose differentiated low-carbon transition pathways. This study can provide references for cities to develop differentiated low-carbon development paths under the "double carbon" target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world's largest CO2 emitter, China's emission reduction is the key to mitigating global climate change. Global investment capital, as a significant influencing factor of emissions, greatly contributes to China's economic growth and stimulates frequent interprovincial trade since the reform and opening. However, the spatial correlation of foreign investment and CO2 emissions across Chinese provinces is rarely considered. This paper explores the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in emission reduction in China during 2004–2015 using the spatial Durbin economic models with two‐way fixed effects. Then, the partial differential equations decomposition of the local and spatial spillover effects is conducted for capturing the marginal effects of influencing factors. Results show that FDI contributes to emission reduction for the whole country, whereas interprovincial transmission and intra‐provincial transmission show significant heterogeneity. Specifically, FDI increases emissions in host areas, while FDI provides positive environmental externalities to adjacent areas through spatial spillovers. Our findings provide a new perspective to explain the coexistence of the "Pollution Haven" and "Pollution Halo" theories in a country. Also, the exploration of spatial spillover effects of FDI on emissions can provide a reference for other countries with rising trade and investment flows to promote collaborative emission reduction. Key Points: Local effects of foreign direct investment on emissions are positive, while spatial spillover effects are negativeThe coexistence of the "Pollution Haven" and "Pollution Halo" theories in a country is examinedResults help promote collaborative emission reduction across regions with trade [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CO 2 emission inventories of shrinking and growing cities are compiled. • Emission patterns of various shrinking and growing cities are investigated. • CO 2 emission mitigation of shrinking cities occurred with the decline of secondary industry. • Growing cities can achieve emissions mitigation with economic growth. • Results are helpful for shrinking and growing cities' sustainable development. The implementation of CO 2 emission mitigation policies in cities is the key to China achieving its national emission mitigation targets. China is experiencing rapid urbanization and facing huge inequality in regional development and then shrinking cities generate. This study, for the first time, discusses long-term CO 2 emission patterns of shrinking cities with comparisons of growing cities. 55 cities in Northeast China and the Yangtze River Delta are selected as cases. We first categorize these cities into three groups of shrinking cities and three groups of growing cities with a population index. Each group's emission patterns in terms of energy, employment and industry structures are then examined. We find that CO 2 emissions in the rapidly shrinking group presented a continuously increasing trend, while the other five groups reached their emission peaks in 2011–2013. For slightly and moderately shrinking groups, CO 2 emission mitigation was a positive sign but occurred with the decline of secondary industry, especially for resource-based or heavy manufacturing cities, such as Daqing and Anshan in Northeast China. In the case of three types of growing cities, cities were capable of mitigating CO 2 emissions and maintaining economic growth. The slightly growing group was the optimal type among these six groups. Its CO 2 emissions experienced a decline with an annual rate of −1.47% during 2013–2015, while the economy still soared (increased by 7.27% annually). New economic growth points should be fostered to mitigate further shrinkage and achieve sustainable development for shrinking cities. The cities' categorization rules, research thinking, and results offered in this study could provide a reference for other cities or developing countries at similar industrialization/urbanization phases to abbreviate their path towards a low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]