Volume 15: Low Carbon Cities and Urban Energy Systems: Part IV

Are compact cities lower carbon? Empirical evidence from 49 high-tier Chinese cities Mengqi Hu, Ying Kong

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of urban compactness on carbon emissions. The essay proposes three broad dimensions to evaluate compactness: urban form, spatial structure and infrastructure efficiency. The impact of compactness on carbon emissions is then analyzed by a panel model using data from 2002 to 2018 on 49 high-tier Chinese cities. The results suggest that of all compact variables, only mixed land use tends to be associated with less carbon emissions. In addition, higher ranking cities emit more carbon than lower ranking cities.

Keywords compact city, carbon emissions, high-tier Chinese cities, panel model.