The Carbon Dioxide Emissions Differences Impacts Between Urban and Rural Areas

In China, the patterns of carbon emissions exhibit a clear divergence between urban and rural areas. While cities experience a surge in carbon emissions, rural regions maintain more stable levels, albeit with modest increases. These contrasting trends contribute to widening inter-provincial disparities in urban areas, whereas rural inequalities remain relatively unchanged. Over time, the overall inequality in carbon emissions across the country has undergone distinct phases, transitioning from a period of escalation to gradual reduction, eventually reaching a point of stabilization. Market-driven factors, alongside governmental actions, are crucial in shaping this inequality, with urban and rural areas responding differently to policy interventions. The digital economy has emerged as a pivotal force in mitigating disparities, producing significant positive spillover effects across regions. The relationship between economic development and carbon emissions inequality follows a U-shaped pattern, indicating that early stages of growth might aggravate inequality before improvement occurs. On the other hand, while optimizing industrial structures can address urban-rural disparities, the spatial spillover impact of these changes remains limited. Governmental efforts to regulate carbon emissions have been less effective in reducing inequality and, in some cases, may inadvertently contribute to further divergence. Meanwhile, openness to international markets has a more beneficial influence, whereas the role of population density in this dynamic proves to be multifaceted and difficult to predict.