Layered network spillovers in China’s new energy governance: Global carbon emission reduction through new energy city pilots

中国新能源治理的碳减排逐层网络外溢

Abstract

As the world's largest producer of renewable energy, China's renewable energy governance is both domestic and global. Exploring whether China's renewable energy governance practices have reduced global carbon emissions and enhanced global governance capacity is of significant practical importance. This study finds that China's renewable energy governance has a significant carbon reduction spillover effect. Specifically, it has significantly increased the depth and breadth of the signing of global environmental governance rules through RTAs (Regulatory Agreements). Looking at the details of the signed rules, trade-related aspects of China's renewable energy governance have the strongest carbon reduction spillover effect on implementation mechanisms and environmental target setting; technology-related and investment-related aspects are consistent, with external aid and institutional establishment being the most prominent; infrastructure-related aspects have the strongest carbon reduction spillover effect through the signing of external aid and implementation mechanisms. Furthermore, China's trade, technology, and infrastructure-related aspects of renewable energy governance with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative can accelerate the signing of global environmental governance rules through RTAs. Meanwhile, in terms of the distribution of related countries, China's trade-related carbon reduction spillover is highest with Europe, Africa is most directly affected by China's technology and infrastructure-related aspects of renewable energy governance, and Asia is best affected by investment-related carbon reduction effects. It is worth noting that the Sino-US friction will inhibit the spillover effect of China's trade-related new energy governance on global carbon emission reduction, but will strengthen the spillover effect of China's new energy governance technology-related linkages.