On the decline of carbon emissions intensity in China: Structural effect and patent effect

Abstract

Abstract: The dynamic effect of structural factors and patents on carbon emission intensity in China from the year of 1985 to 2009 is analyzed by employing ARDL model and bound testing approach. The empirical results show that per-capita income has a significant negative impact on carbon emission intensity and the coal share in total energy consumption has a significant positive impact on it. The increasing per-capita income might help improving the decline of carbon emission intensity; however the marginal impact of per-capita income on carbon emission intensity is lower than that of the coal share on the intensity. The short term impact of the coal share on carbon emission intensity is significantly lower than its long term effect. The share of tertiary industry in GDP shows a significant impact on carbon emission intensity; however its impact on the carbon emission intensity is not identical with the different models, indicating an unbalanced development trend within tertiary industry. Therefore, the target of industrial structure adjustment is not only to increase the proportion of tertiary industry in GDP, but also to speed up its transition to resource-saving and environment-friendly economic development. The short-term impact of patent output on carbon emission intensity is basically insignificant, showing a lag influence of patent output on carbon emission intensity. In the long run, a significantly negative correlation is found between carbon emission intensity and total amount of patent, practical new-typed patent and appearance design patent while there is a significantly positive relationship between carbon emission intensity and invention patents, showing that the invention patents have not played its promotive role in carbon intensity reduction yet.

Key words: carbon emissions intensity, structural effect, patent effect, ARDL approach

CLC Number:

Zhou Wuqi, Nie Ming. On the decline of carbon emissions intensity in China: Structural effect and patent effect[J]. Science Research Management, 2013, (6): 50-57.

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