How can the policy of new energy demonstration cities improve the carbon emission efficiency of cities?

WANG Yuhui; JING Li

Abstract：As an important policy to promote low-carbon economic development in China,the construction of new energy demonstration cities has become increasingly important in the face of the dual pressures of carbon emission reduction and economic downturn in China today.Based on the sample data of 271 prefecture-level cities from 2006 to 2021,this paper uses the super-efficiency DEA model to measure the carbon emission efficiency of each city,and uses the double difference model to empirically verify the impact of the new energy demonstration city policy on the carbon emission efficiency of cities.The study shows that the new energy demonstration city policy can significantly improve the carbon emission efficiency of cities,and this conclusion remains valid after passing through a series of robustness tests,including PSM-DID.The heterogeneity analysis shows that the new energy demonstration city policy has a stronger effect on improving carbon emission efficiency in central regions and resource-based cities.Furthermore,the new energy demonstration city policy mainly improves carbon emission efficiency by improving energy utilization efficiency,and the incentive effect of the policy on green technology innovation and industrial structure upgrading needs to be further improved.Accordingly,this paper provides certain policy implications for strengthening the construction of new energy demonstration cities and achieving the"dual carbon"goal.