A two-tiered attribution structural decomposition analysis to reveal drivers at both sub-regional and sectoral levels: A case study of energy consumption in the Jing-Jin-Ji region.

Abstract Structural decomposition analysis (SDA) is a very commonly used method for exploring the driving forces of environmental pressure (EP). Enhanced with attribution analysis, SDA can further decompose the driving forces of EP into economic sectors or sub-regions and provide more detailed evidence-based policymaking. However, current studies of SDA with attribution analysis have not been sufficiently developed and are only one-tiered, i.e., they decompose the driving forces of EP into either a sub-regional or an economic sectoral level. In this study, we introduce a method of SDA with a two-tiered attribution analysis, which is capable of 1) exploring the driving force of environmental pressure at a multi-regional level and 2) further decomposing the driving forces of EP into both sub-regions and economic sectors. Based on this method, we explore the driving forces for the change of energy consumption in the Jing-Jin-Ji region during the period of 2007–2012. Results of this case study indicate that technological change, final demand structure, and final demand composition respectively contributed −129%, 12%, and −3% while affluence, production structure, total population, and population structure respectively contributed 129%, 77%, 38%, and 2% to energy consumption change in the region. In terms of sub-regional and economic sectoral level contributions, Hebei province and the chemical and smelting and rolling of metals industries were the most prominent contributors. Through this case study, we situate the strengths and limitations of the two-tiered attribution SDA method and propose key policy suggestions and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]