The realization of carbon emissions peak is important in the energy base area of China for the sustainable development of the socio-economic sector. The STIRPAT model was employed to analyze the elasticity of influencing factors of carbon emissions during 1990-2010 in the Xinjiang autonomous region, China. The results display that population growth is the key driving factor for carbon emissions, while energy intensity is the key restraining factor. With 1% change in population, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, energy intensity, energy structure, urbanization level, and industrial structure, the change in carbon emissions was 0.80%, 0.48%, 0.20%, 0.07%, 0.58%, and 0.47%, respectively. Based on the results from regression analysis, scenario analysis was employed in this study, and it was found that Xinjiang would be difficult to realize carbon emissions peak early around 2030. Under the condition of the medium-high change rates in energy intensity, energy structure, industrial structure, and with the low-medium change rates in population, GDP per capita, and urbanization level, Xinjiang will achieve carbon emissions peak at of 626.21, 636.24, 459.53, and 662.25 million tons in the year of 2030626.21, 636.24, 459.53, and 662.25 million tons in the year of , 2030626.21, 636.24, 459.53, and 662.25 million tons in the year of , 2040626.21, 636.24, 459.53, and 662.25 million tons in the year of , and 2040 the background of Chinese carbon emissions peak around 2030, this paper puts forward relevant policies and suggestions to the sustainable socio-economic development for the energy base area, Xinjiang autonomous region.Sustainability 2019, 11, 4220 2 of 18 in order to mitigate the risks of global warming, the international community has made great efforts to reduce carbon emissions [4]. As an emerging market, though simultaneous development and accelerating industrialization, informatization, agricultural modernization, and urbanization, due to its long-term growth mode of high consumption, high pollution and low output, China has become the country with the largest carbon emissions [5]. In 2006, Chinese carbon emissions surpassed the United States of America (USA) and became the world's largest emitter [4]. In 2015, China accounted for 28.65% of the world's total carbon emissions, exceeding the sum of the USA (14.93%) and the European Union (9.68%), which was ranked second and third in the world, respectively (Global Carbon Project. http://www.globalcarbonatlas.org/en/ CO 2 emissions). With this, China has incurred huge attention from the world, which posed great international political pressures on China. In face of this situation, China pledged at the Copenhagen Climate Summit to increase the percentage of renewable energy in energy consumption structure to 15%, and to cut 40-45% of the energy intensity in 2020 when compared to the 2005 levels. Moreover, China promised at the Paris Agreement to increase the percentage of renewable energy in energy consumption structure to 20% and to cut 60-65% of the e...