Clean Development, Energy Substitution, and Carbon Emissions: Evidence from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project Implementation in China

Abstract

In the face of increasingly severe climate change and its disastrous effects, how to effectively tackle it and reduce carbon dioxide emissions has become an important global issue. Clean development mechanism (CDM) project implementation provides an opportunity for more developing countries to actively participate in global climate governance. As the largest global emitter of carbon dioxide, have China’s CDM projects slowed down carbon dioxide emissions? In order to answer this question, the study constructs panel data at the provincial level from 2000 to 2017 to investigate the emission-reduction effects of China’s CDM projects. Results showed that China’s CDM projects’ implementation significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) and the growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions. The emission reduction effects of different types of CDM projects have obvious heterogeneity. In addition, this study further found that China’s CDM projects’ implementation can not only effectively substitute traditional fossil energy, but also improve energy-utilization efficiency.