Evolution of CO2 emissions and driving factors in the Tongzhou District in Beijing

As Beijing put forward its “one core, two wings” development plan, the development and construction in the Beijing Tongzhou District have turned into a national strategy. However, as a municipal district, energy and CO2 emission data and other statistics are difficult to obtain in Tongzhou and CO2 emissions accounting for a district at this level is rare. This study applies the accounting method of city carbon emissions to the district level. Firstly, we account for the CO2 emissions in the Tongzhou District from 2008 to 2015 according to data availability. Secondly, by using the logarithmic mean Divisa index decomposition approach, the Tongzhou CO2 emissions are decomposed into six main driving factors, including population, per capita GDP, industrial structure, energy intensity, energy consumption structure, and energy-related CO2 emission factors. The result shows that (1) from 2008 to 2015, the CO2 emissions in the Tongzhou District first increased and then decreased and peaked in 2011. (2) Population and per capita GDP both contributed to the change in CO2 emissions in the Tongzhou District during the study period and resulted in 407,200 tons and 346,200 tons increase, respectively. The industrial structure, energy consumption intensity, and energy structure exerted inhibiting effects, offsetting 29,300 tons, 571,500 tons, and 29,300 tons, respectively, and the energy consumption intensity was the most important factor. (3) On this basis, we discuss the annual effects of the driving factors. The results of this study provide great significance and references for research in order to implement the low-carbon development and the “one core, two wings” strategy in the Tongzhou District.