Carbon inequality and economic development across the Belt and Road regions

Abstract

Given the aim of maintaining global warming below 2°C, carbon emission reduction has become a global top priority. Since the Belt and Road Initiative has increasing influence on manufacturing-oriented developing countries, more attention should be paid to carbon emission reduction in these regions. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis by analyzing the carbon inequality and regional development and compares the carbon emissions driven by final demand among countries in and outside the Belt and Road area from 1990 to 2015. It is found that the majority of the Belt and Road regions achieved a rapid GDP growth rate with increasing carbon emissions, in which the investment-driven type demonstrated a significant growth. In contrast, the developed countries outside the Belt and Road area maintained their economic growth while decreasing the carbon emissions owed to the declining of investment-driven emissions; however the consumption-driven emissions stably remained a relatively high level. Our results showed that the inequality of carbon emission within Belt and Road regions is lower than the global average, while the inequality of the investment-driven emissions showed an obviously increasing trend.By discussing the carbon inequality and regional development, rational and feasible strategies for countries and regions within and outside the Belt and Road area are essential, and different types of strategies such as low-carbon technologies transfers and overseas financial cooperation are suggested for regional carbon emission 2 reduction and sustainable regional development under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Cooperative carbon emission reduction through the Belt and Road Initiative

“…Meanwhile, the problem of carbon emission inequality in the Belt and Road Initiative has been studied by some scholars. Han et al ( 2020 ) analyzed the inequality of carbon emissions in the Belt and Road Initiative and found that the level of carbon emission inequality in the Belt and Road Initiative is lower than the direct average. Han et al ( 2020 ) analyzed the data and believed that the level of carbon emission inequality in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative is lower than the world average.…”

“…Han et al ( 2020 ) analyzed the inequality of carbon emissions in the Belt and Road Initiative and found that the level of carbon emission inequality in the Belt and Road Initiative is lower than the direct average. Han et al ( 2020 ) analyzed the data and believed that the level of carbon emission inequality in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative is lower than the world average. The above research shows that there is no problem of carbon emission inequality in the Belt and Road Initiative and China and countries along the route can achieve mutual benefit and win-win through the Belt and Road Initiative and jointly carry out carbon emission reduction work.…”

“…In view of the increasingly serious global warming problem, carbon emission reduction has become a worldwide issue (Han et al 2020 ). Governments of all countries are actively working to make efforts to reduce global carbon emissions.…”

Using Improved SPA and ICS-LSSVM for Sustainability Assessment of PV Industry along the Belt and Road

“…Based on the aforementioned principles as well as existing literature and data collection [29][30][31], this study establishes the evaluation index system of PV industry along the Belt and Road from five aspects, namely economy, politics, society, ecological environment and resources, as listed in Table 1.…”

Imbalance and drivers of carbon emissions embodied in trade along the Belt and Road Initiative

“…For instance, it has been argued that China may reallocate its domestic pollution and overcapacity through the BRI [24] and is playing the leading role in driving carbon footprints within this area [25]. The carbon inequality and economic development of the countries within and outside BRI were compared as well, but without investigating the driving forces for emission growth and the impact of technological differences on responsibility allocation among those nations [26].…”