China's low-carbon economic transition: Provincial analysis from 2002 to 2012

As the largest energy consumer and CO₂-emitting country, China is committed to achieving a low-carbon economy (LCE). This study seeks to understand the spatial evolution of China's LCE provinces and determine which sectors could promote the formation of LCE provinces. Multiregional input-output (MRIO) analysis is applied to filter the LCE provinces and the sectoral structure changes behind the LCE in China from 2002 to 2012. The result shows that approximately 30% of the provinces (i.e., Tianjin, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Chongqing) become LCE provinces faster than other provinces from 2002 to 2012, and the location of the LCE provinces gradually shifts from coastal to inland regions after 2007. Some sectors (i.e., nonmetal mining, chemical industry and nonmetal manufacturing) gradually become LCE sectors from 2002 to 2012, and these sectors promote the formation and development of LCE provinces. On this basis, this study proposes policy implications regarding the benchmarking of sectors and a sectoral structure that can promote the formation of LCE provinces.