Spatial and nonlinear effects of new-type urbanization and technological innovation on industrial carbon dioxide emission in the Yangtze River Delta

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the level of new-type urbanization and unravel the spatial and nonlinear effects of new-type urbanization and technological innovation on industrial carbon emissions. Although the impact of traditional urbanization levels on carbon emissions has been widely studied, there is still a huge room for optimization, and the impact of new-type urbanization on carbon emissions has not yet been clarified. Selecting 37 cities in the Yangtze River Delta as a research sample, this paper measures the new-type urbanization based on an evaluation system we build. Consequently, we assess the spatial and nonlinear effects of new-type urbanization and technological innovation on carbon emissions by the spatial Durbin model and non-parameter addictive model, respectively. The results indicate that the new-type urbanization and low-carbon city pilot policy have significant spatial spillover effects on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, while the economic growth plays a positive role in increasing carbon emission. As for nonlinear effects, there is a significant inverted “N”-shaped relationship between the level of new-type urbanization and carbon dioxide emissions, while the nexus between technological innovation and carbon emissions is an inverted “U”-shaped relationship. This paper provides a new perspective for confirming the mechanism of the new-type urbanization on carbon emissions. Meanwhile, these findings are of significance for the relevant authorities in China to develop appropriate policy in carbon dioxide emission reduction.

Exploring the Synergistic Effects of Digitalization and Economic Uncertainty on Environmental Sustainability: An Investigation from China

“…Simultaneously, the process of urbanization, characterized by augmented population density and energy consumption, poses distinctive challenges in managing carbon dioxide emissions. Investigations by Zhang and Chen [27], and Liu et al [28] exposed a positive correlation between urbanization and carbon dioxide emissions, thereby underscoring the imperative of sustainable urban planning and development strategies. Urban areas present opportunities for the deployment of energyefficient technologies, the establishment of robust public transportation systems, and the creation of green spaces.…”

New-type urbanization ecologically reshaping China

“…In the last decade, clarifying the evolution laws between urbanization and ecological environment has become a hot topic and frontier [ 30 ]. Research on the relationship between urbanization and ecological environment is developed from perspectives such as land use [ 7 , 28 , 31 ], urban hydrology [ 32 , 33 ], air pollution [ 14 , 23 , 25 , 34 , 35 ], energy and environmental effectiveness [ 12 , 15 , 36 , 37 ], landfill system [ 38 ], carbon emissions [ [39] , [40] ].…”

“…From 2009 to 2019 in China, the contribution of agriculture to GDP has shrunk from 9.6% to 7.1%, along with a significant decrease in the agricultural workforce. More institutional and systemic transformations are needed to accelerate innovation, upgrade the industrial structure, unleash the potential of labor transfer, and seize the strategic opportunities opened by NTU [ 10 , 22 , 40 ].…”

“…Any adjustment of economic structures and development patterns is expected to be oriented toward marrying development with sustainability. Rapid urbanization is inevitably linked to environmental problems [ 6 , 17 , 35 , 40 ]. First, rapid urbanization creates strong demand for transportation-related infrastructure construction.…”

“…Cities could adopt more centralized treatments to address pollution emissions [ 37 ]. Optimization and upgrading of industrial structures may also trigger green innovation, intensive production, and a circular economy [ 15 , 40 ]. Advancements in coordinating population, industry, space, resources, and society are decoupling environmental costs (e.g., PM 2.5 concentrations) and socioeconomic development.…”