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. 2024 May 29;19(5):e0302733.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302733. eCollection 2024.

Studying regional low-carbon development: A case study of Sichuan Province in China

Genjin Sun  1 , Rui Gao  1 , Ying Liu  1 , Yanxiu Liu  2 , Cuilan Li  3
Affiliations

Studying regional low-carbon development: A case study of Sichuan Province in China

Genjin Sun et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The unavoidable option for socially sustainable development is a low-carbon economy. One of the essential steps for China to attain high-quality development is reducing carbon emissions. It is necessary to realize low-carbon development in Sichuan, as it is not only an important economic zone but also an ecological protected area. The concurrent relationship among energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth was examined in this study using the Tapio decoupling indicator, and the factors affecting energy consumption and carbon emissions in Sichuan were broken down using the logarithmic mean Divisia indicator (LMDI). The findings demonstrate a fundamental relative decoupling relationship between Sichuan's energy use and carbon emissions. Analysis of energy consumption and carbon emissions in Sichuan Province from 2005 to 2020 shows distinct patterns. From 2005 to 2012, in 2014, and from 2016 to 2020, the relationship between energy use and carbon emissions was relatively decoupled, with decoupling values ranging between 0 and 1. Absolute decoupling occurred in specific years: 2010, from 2013 to 2018, and in 2020. These periods are characterized by economic growth alongside reductions in carbon emissions. Factors affecting energy consumption and carbon emissions were consistently analyzed, showing similar impacts throughout the study periods. We find that population and economic growth are the main driving forces of these effects. The effects of energy intensity and industrial structure mainly play restraining roles, and the latter has a slightly weaker effect than the former.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. The energy consumption structure of Sichuan Province (2021).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Total energy consumption, carbon emissions, and GDP in Sichuan Province (2006–2020).
Fig 3
Fig 3. Decoupling of energy consumption and carbon emission changes from economic growth in Sichuan Province (2005–2020).
Fig 4
Fig 4. Breakdown of factors influencing interannual changes in energy consumption in Sichuan Province (2005–2020).
Fig 5
Fig 5. Results of decomposition of factors influencing interannual changes in carbon emissions in Sichuan Province (2005–2020).
Fig 6
Fig 6. Diagram of energy flows by industry and species in Sichuan Province (2005).
Fig 7
Fig 7. Diagram of energy flows by industry and species in Sichuan Province (2010).
Fig 8
Fig 8. Diagram of energy flows by sector and species in Sichuan Province (2015).
Fig 9
Fig 9. Schematic diagram of energy flows by sector and species in Sichuan Province (2020).
Fig 10
Fig 10. Carbon emissions and carbon intensity of the three fossil energy sources in Sichuan Province (2005–2020).
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