Measuring carbon emission performance of industrial sectors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China: A stochastic frontier approach

Chao Wang; Jinyan Zhan; Yuping Bai; Xi Chu; Fan Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.064

Measuring carbon emission performance of industrial sectors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China: A stochastic frontier approach

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Oct 1:685:786-794. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.064. Epub 2019 Jun 7.

Authors

Chao Wang¹, Jinyan Zhan², Yuping Bai³, Xi Chu⁴, Fan Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: wangchao@mail.bnu.edu.cn.
² State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: zhanjy@bnu.edu.cn.
³ Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100149, China. Electronic address: baiyp.15b@igsnrr.ac.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: chuxi@mail.bnu.edu.cn.
⁵ Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: zhangf.ccap@igsnrr.ac.cn.

PMID: 31238282
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.064

Abstract

Carbon emissions have become a global environmental problem in recent years. It is necessary to explore methods to improve the efficiency of energy consumption and minimize carbon emissions that accompany economic development and rapid urbanization. In this paper, we quantitatively measure the total factor carbon emission performance (TFCP) and the carbon emission mitigation potential (CMP) of 39 industrial sectors in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region from 2010 to 2016 by employing a stochastic frontier approach. The results show that the average TFCP value of the 39 industrial sectors in the BTH region was relatively low (0.7733). From 2010 to 2016, the TFCP increased in Beijing, decreased in Tianjin and held steady in Hebei. The entire level of TFCP in Hebei was the greatest, followed by Tianjin and Beijing. The CMP in the BTH region increased slightly during the period 2010-2016. The total CMP of the 39 industrial sectors in the BTH region was 11.03 × 10⁸ t from 2010 to 2016. The industrial sectors were divided into four categories according to the relationship between TFCP and CMP. Belonging to the low TFCP-high CMP quadrant, the Manufacture of Nonmetallic Mineral Products sector and the Production and Distribution of Electric Power and Heat Power sector should attract more attention when formulating carbon reduction policies and related regulations. According to the results, we also present suggestions to strengthen green economic growth and regional sustainable development.

Keywords: Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei; Carbon emission mitigation potential; Carbon emission performance; Industrial sector; Stochastic frontier approach.