Structural characteristics and formation mechanism of carbon emission spatial association networks within China

Using the social network analysis method, for the first time, this paper builds an exponential random graph model to identify and interpret the formation mechanism of China’s carbon emission spatial association networks based on the investigation of the structural characteristics of the networks from 1998 to 2016. The results show that China’s carbon emission spatial association networks can be divided into four major plates with different responsibilities and present an evident regional club distribution characteristic. Each plate experienced a recombination process to varying degrees during our sample period. In detail, provinces belonging to the net spillover plate decreased, while provinces belonging to the main benefit and net benefit plates all increased. Meanwhile, although provinces belonging to the broker plate changed, its total number remains unchanged. Moreover, the “carbon emission refuge” effect between regions weakened. Regions tend to participate in the spatial association “activities” of carbon emissions in the forms of “reciprocity” or “clusters,” and the spatial association of carbon emissions has the phenomena of “feudal economy” and gradient fault. A high degree of openness, a clean and low-carbon energy structure, and improved energy efficiency are conducive to promoting more carbon emission reception relationships between regions. As energy structure upgrades, the spatial association pattern of carbon emissions has gradient flow trends from west to east and from north to south. The complementarity of inter-regional economic development modes in openness, economic agglomeration, industrial structure, and energy efficiency leads to forming the carbon emission spatial association networks. Thus, the strengthening of regional division and cooperation and close regional trade ties causes the network to present the feature of a “carbon” fate match across a thousand miles drawn by a thread. Therefore, accelerating the implementation of cooperation emission reduction policies, such as regional integration and carbon trading market, will effectively promote the realization of regional collaborative low-carbon transformation development. © 2023 Systems Engineering Society of China. All rights reserved.