Do low-carbon city pilots promote carbon equality? From the perspective of regional fairness

The Low-Carbon City Pilot (LCCP) policy is central to China's strategy for reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development. This study introduces a dual-framework approach to carbon equality, distinguishing between economic and ecological dimensions. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) methodology, the analysis covers prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2019. Results indicate that the LCCP significantly enhanced economic and ecological carbon equality by 9.2 % and 8.4 %, respectively. Mechanism analysis identifies technological innovation, energy consumption, and renewable energy as key moderating factors, in line with the Porter hypothesis. Green patents and renewable energy enhance the LCCP's effects on carbon sequestration, economic growth, and emissions reduction. High energy consumption limits the policy's impact, but the LCCP improves energy efficiency, especially in energy-intensive cities. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger effects in economically developed cities and eastern China. This study offers valuable insights into how LCCP can promote regional fairness across economic and ecological contexts.