Zeyuan Tian , Yulin Zhao , Zhi Dong , Daniel Jian Sun , Zhiyu Dong
{"title":"Analyzing the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of carbon emissions from road transportation in four Chinese urban agglomerations: An empirical case study","authors":"Zeyuan Tian , Yulin Zhao , Zhi Dong , Daniel Jian Sun , Zhiyu Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.07.037","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Road transportation has emerged as a major source of carbon emissions contributing to climate change nowadays. Despite extensive research on carbon emissions from road transportation (CRT), few studies focused on comparative analysis of CRT at both the urban agglomeration and city levels, particularly considering variations in development levels. To address this gap, this paper investigates CRT from 65 cities within the four Chinese urban agglomerations—Lanxi, Guanzhong Plain, Central Plain, and Yangtze River Delta— using a top-down framework based upon mode-specific energy consumption intensity. Spatiotemporal characteristics of (per capita) CRT along with the contributing factors are analyzed in which rapid CRT growth with significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity are revealed to form spatial clusters. Based on the contributing factors analysis, at the urban agglomeration level, key factors influencing road transport emissions in the Yangtze River Delta and Central Plain urban agglomerations show significant differences across different periods, reflecting the complex interactions among multiple driving mechanisms. At the city level, the influence factors driving emissions exhibit nuanced spatiotemporal non-stationarity among cities. Moreover, variations in the impact extents of key factors are demonstrated, revealing the dynamic evolution of carbon emission mechanism in different periods and spatial scales. This study offers valuable guidance for policymakers in formulating differentiated mitigation strategies to support low-carbon transport transitions in diverse urban agglomerations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103756"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Transport Policy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X25002902","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Road transportation has emerged as a major source of carbon emissions contributing to climate change nowadays. Despite extensive research on carbon emissions from road transportation (CRT), few studies focused on comparative analysis of CRT at both the urban agglomeration and city levels, particularly considering variations in development levels. To address this gap, this paper investigates CRT from 65 cities within the four Chinese urban agglomerations—Lanxi, Guanzhong Plain, Central Plain, and Yangtze River Delta— using a top-down framework based upon mode-specific energy consumption intensity. Spatiotemporal characteristics of (per capita) CRT along with the contributing factors are analyzed in which rapid CRT growth with significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity are revealed to form spatial clusters. Based on the contributing factors analysis, at the urban agglomeration level, key factors influencing road transport emissions in the Yangtze River Delta and Central Plain urban agglomerations show significant differences across different periods, reflecting the complex interactions among multiple driving mechanisms. At the city level, the influence factors driving emissions exhibit nuanced spatiotemporal non-stationarity among cities. Moreover, variations in the impact extents of key factors are demonstrated, revealing the dynamic evolution of carbon emission mechanism in different periods and spatial scales. This study offers valuable guidance for policymakers in formulating differentiated mitigation strategies to support low-carbon transport transitions in diverse urban agglomerations.
期刊介绍:
Transport Policy is an international journal aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice in transport. Its subject areas reflect the concerns of policymakers in government, industry, voluntary organisations and the public at large, providing independent, original and rigorous analysis to understand how policy decisions have been taken, monitor their effects, and suggest how they may be improved. The journal treats the transport sector comprehensively, and in the context of other sectors including energy, housing, industry and planning. All modes are covered: land, sea and air; road and rail; public and private; motorised and non-motorised; passenger and freight.