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This study divided the impact of energy consumption revolution on farmers' happiness into direct and indirect effects. We empirically tested these effects using the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) household data in 2015 and the mediation-moderation model. The results showed that: (1) The rural energy consumption revolution has increased the probability of farmers' happiness level by 22.7%. The direct effects with obvious marginal decrement accounted for the main part (over 90%) of the total effect, but the multi-dimensional mediating mechanism was not yet robust. (2) The revolution of rural energy consumption has slightly improved farmers' happiness through the mediating role of increased leisure activities, while the negative impact of increased use-cost on the happiness of low-income farmers was nearly significant. (3) Regional economy, household income, and energy type played negative roles when moderating the above process. To low-income households in the less-developed western region, the total effects were more evident in the aspect of electricity use. Hence, several policy recommendations have been further made, including inclusive energy and strategic synergies.

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Analyzing the carbon-emission-reduction mechanism from the perspective of air pollution control auditing is of great practical significance for China to implement the dual-carbon strategy. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2018, we examine whether and how the auditing of air pollution control has an impact on carbon emission reduction by using multiple regression method and the mediating analysis. Our analyses show that air pollution control auditing can significantly restrain carbon emissions but has no impact on carbon emission intensity. Further research suggests that (1) the bottom-up audit represented by local audit institutions is more effective than the top-down audit represented by the National Audit Office; (2) air pollution control auditing follows a simple and direct method to curb carbon emissions by output reduction, regulation, and shutdown, rather than promoting technological progress and green transformation of enterprises in a high-quality development mode. Those findings provide an improvement direction for air pollution control auditing to contribute to carbon emission reduction and supply relevant policy references for implementing the dual carbon strategy.