Impact of Environmental Policy Mix on Carbon Emission Reduction and Social Welfare: Scenario Simulation Based on Private Vehicle Trajectory Big Data

Abstract

Analyzing and investigating the impact of implementing an environmental policy mix on carbon emission from private cars and social welfare holds significant reference value. Firstly, based on vehicle trajectory big data, this paper employs reverse geocoding and artificial neural network models to predict carbon emissions from private cars in various provinces and cities in China. Secondly, by simulating different scenarios of carbon tax, carbon trading, and their policy mix, the propensity score matching model is constructed to explore the effects of the policy mix on carbon emission reduction from private cars and social welfare while conducting regional heterogeneity analysis. Finally, policy proposals are proposed to promote carbon emission reduction from private cars and enhance social welfare in China. The results indicate that the environmental policy mix has a significant positive impact on carbon emission reduction from private cars and social welfare. Furthermore, in the regional heterogeneity analysis, the implementation of the policy mix in eastern regions has a significant positive effect on both carbon emission reduction from private cars and social welfare, while in central and western regions, it shows a significant positive impact on social welfare but has no significant effect on carbon emission reduction in the private car sector.