The Carbon Flows Embodied In China's Inter-provincial Trade And Policy Implications

Trade creates a corresponding mechanism for regional carbon emissions transmission.Along with the trade,there is not only the flow of capital and goods,but also the flow of carbon emissions embodied in the production process.With the expansion of trade scale and the increase of energy demand,the impact of carbon emissions embodied in trade on the carbon dioxide emissions in China is becoming more and more obvious.It should be noted that the rapid development of trade is at the expense of the environment of our country.In response to the current severe environmental crisis,China made clear emission reduction targets,that is,carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decrease 40%-45% by 2020 and fell in 60%-65% by 2030 on the basis of 2005;until 2030 China will reach the peak of carbon emissions,and strive to reach the peak at an early date.In order to achieve the goal as soon as asonably determine the provincial carbon emission reduction responsibility.On the one hand,carbon emissions need to consider each area's practical,on the other hand,the important factor associated with carbon emissions transfer embodied in the trade of products and services among provinces must also be considered.Based on the research results of carbon emissions embodied in China's international and interprovincial trade,this paper analyzes quantitatively the embodied carbon emissions of 30 provinces and the change of carbon emissions transfer between provinces in China at the different periods,also puts forward some policy suggestions to reducing carbon emissions in China.The main conclusions are as follows:(1)From 2002 to 2010,China's total carbon footprint presents gradual rising trend,and shows a clear "East-Central-West " gradient space layout.The provinces with higher carbon footprint are mostly provinces with high economic development,mainly in the eastern coastal areas of China,and the midwest has the lower carbon footprint.(2)The per capita carbon emissions continue to rise,rising from 3.44 tons CO2 in 2002 to 5.98 tons CO2 in 2010,and the regional differences of per capita carbon footprint were gradually reduced.On the contrary,China's carbon emission efficiency showed a downward trend.From 2002 to 2010,the spatial distribution of China's embodied carbon emission efficiency changed little.The three stages presents the highest emission efficiencyc of carbon in the northern region,the second in the central region,and the lowest in the eastern and southern coastal areas.(3)The scale of China's interprovincial trade implies a large proportion of carbon transfer,and trade between provinces and regions has a significant impact on the provincial carbon emissions.2002-2010,the carbon balance model of embodied carbon emissions in interprovincial trade remains unchanged.Heilongjiang,Yunnan,Shanghai,Ningxia,Fujian,Jiangxi,Henan,Guangxi,Qinghai 9 provinces have been carbon emissions deficit embodied in interprovincial trade,and Liaoning,Jiangsu,Jilin,Chongqing,Zhejiang,Hubei,Sichuan 7 provinces have been carbon emissions surplus embodied in interprovincial trade.(4)Carbon emissions transfer embodied in interprovincial trade showed obvious periodical characteristics.In 2002,China's embodied carbon flow was transferred from the southern coastal region,Beijing and Tianjin region and the northeast region to the northern coast,northwest and central region;2002-2007,the embodied carbon flow is mainly from the northern coast,the eastern coast,the northeast region and the northwest region to the eastern coast and the Beijing Tianjin region;2007-2010,the spatial distribution pattern of carbon emissions in China has changed significantly.Carbon emissions embodied in interprovincial trade began to shift to the central and western regions,and the northwest and southwest regions was the main inflow areas of embodied carbon.