Synergistic governance of carbon emissions and PM2.5 pollution: Evidence from environmental rebound effect in China

• Assessing environmental rebound effect for carbon and PM 2.5 emissions in China. • The rebound effect substantially offset the savings of carbon and PM 2.5 emissions. • Spatiotemporal disparity between carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effect was considered. • A strong synergy between carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effect was observed. • Synergy level was more prominent in eastern regions. The existence of environmental rebound effect (ERE) threatens sustainability-oriented efforts. Under the dual pressure of climate change and air pollution, how to realize the synergistic governance on the ERE for carbon emissions and PM 2.5 pollution is critical for achieving the sustainable development. However, the synergistic effect of carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effect has received limited attention. Therefore, this study quantitatively evaluated the synergistic effect and its spatiotemporal disparities between carbon reduction and PM 2.5 pollution control through the lens of ERE. The results revealed a general decline in carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effect over time, with considerable spatial heterogeneity. A strong-synergistic effect between carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effects was identified with an average grade of 0.97. Notably, the synergistic effect degree was more prominent in the eastern region than that in the central and western region. Therefore, the region-specific strategies for synergistic governance of carbon and PM 2.5 rebound effect should be proposed, providing targeted insights into environmental sustainability through the lens of ERE.