Working Paper: NBER ID: w15621
Authors: Siqi Zheng; Rui Wang; Edward L. Glaeser; Matthew E. Kahn
Abstract: China urbanization is associated with both increases in per-capita income and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper uses micro data to rank 74 major Chinese cities with respect to their household carbon footprint. We find that the "greenest" cities based on this criterion are Huaian and Suqian while the "dirtiest" cities are Daqing and Mudanjiang. Even in the dirtiest city (Daqing), a standardized household produces only one-fifth of that in America's greenest city (San Diego). We find that the average January temperature is strongly negatively correlated with a city's household carbon footprint, which suggests that current regional economic development policies that bolster the growth of China's northeastern cities are likely to increase emissions. We use our city specific income elasticity estimates to predict the growth of carbon emissions in China's cities.
Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Urban Development; China
JEL Codes: Q5
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| urbanization in China (R11) | increases in per capita income (F62) |
| urbanization in China (R11) | greenhouse gas emissions (Q54) |
| higher income (D31) | higher carbon emissions (Q54) |
| centralized heating systems in northern cities (L94) | higher emissions (F64) |
| colder climates (Q54) | increased emissions (F64) |
| higher temperatures (Q54) | lower emissions (Q52) |
| urban density (R11) | lower carbon emissions (Q48) |