Decoupling Analysis of China’s Product Sector Output and Its Embodied Carbon Emissions—An Empirical Study Based on Non-Competitive I-O and Tapio Decoupling Model

• Main Authors: Jianbo Hu, Shanshan Gui, Wei Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-05-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: trade openness; product sector; embodied carbon emission; non-competitive I-O model; Tapio decoupling model
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/5/815

This paper uses the non-competitive I-O model and the Tapio decoupling model to comprehensively analyze the decoupling relationship between the output of the product sector in China and its embodied carbon emissions under trade openness. For this purpose, the Chinese input and output data in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2012 are used. This approach is beneficial to identify the direct mechanism for the increased carbon emission in China from a micro perspective and provides a new perspective for the subsequent study about low-carbon economy. The obtained empirical results are as follows: (1) From overall perspective, the decoupling elasticity between the output of the product sector and its embodied carbon emissions decreased. Output and embodied carbon emissions showed a growth link from 2002 to 2005 and a weak decoupling relationship for the rest of the study period. (2) Among the 28 industries in the product sector, the increased growth rate of output in more and more product sectors was no longer accompanied by large CO2 emissions. The number of industries with strong decoupling relationships between output and embodied carbon emissions increased. (3) From the perspective of three industries, the output and embodied carbon emissions in the second and third industries exhibited a growth link only from 2002 to 2005; the three industries presented weak or strong decoupling for the rest of the study period. Through empirical analysis, this paper mainly through the construction of ecological and environmental protection of low carbon agriculture, low carbon cycle industrial system, as well as intensive and efficient service industry to reduce the carbon emissions of China’s product sector.