Modeling carbon emission trends in Zhengzhou’s industrial sector: a STIRPAT-based study

Abstract This article uses data on eight common forms of energy consumption used in industrial production to measure industrial carbon emissions from 2002 to 2020 in Zhengzhou City, China’s industrial sector. The study analyzes the factors influencing industrial carbon emissions using the ridge regression approach and the STIRPAT model. The findings show that between 90.01% and 97.49% of all industrial carbon emissions are attributable to the use of raw coal. According to the data, industrial carbon emissions are on the rise, peaking in 2013 at 70.11 million tons, and subsequently declining. Additionally, the study identifies that industrial carbon emissions rise with increases in the number of industrial employees, labor productivity, industrialization rate, energy intensity, and carbon emission intensity. In order to encourage sustainable industrial practices and lower carbon emissions, the study suggests improving the industrial structure and boosting funding for technological research and development.