Global warming is a major concern in the globalized world in the aspect of industrialization. Low carbon practices are the major strategies to control global warming. Low carbon economy is the fundamental pattern of the mainstream economy in the perspective of ecology. The aim of this study is to explore the status of low carbon economy of China through assessing low carbon practices. It also finds out the challenges and opportunities of low carbon practices for sustainable economic development. An extensive literature review with meta-analysis has been done considering various indicators of low carbon practices. The study explores that China already adopted some policy, strategy, and practices regarding low carbon economy. China already set its policy regarding control of carbon emission by 2030. Research and innovation in low carbon practices, low carbon industrial structure, low carbon technology adoption and emphasizes on environmental sustainability are the major initiatives of China for lo w carbon economy. Major challenges regarding low carbon practices are heavy pressure on carbon emission, heavy industrialization, extensive development stream, resource endowment, unplanned industrial structure and trade, and confusion regarding industrial transformation. This study suggests that vigorous and efficient planning in industrialization, improved technology adoption, ecological consideration in every project and sufficient finance are necessary to obtain better low carbon economy in China.
Yu, L. (2014) Low Carbon Eco-City: New approach for Chinese Urbanization. Habitat International, 44, 102-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2014.05.004
Aye, L., Bamford, N., Charters, B. and Robinson, J. (1999) Environmentally Sustainable Development: A Life Cycle Costing Approach for a Commercial Office Building in Melbourne, Australia. 15th Annual ARCOM Conference, 15-17 September 1999, Liverpool, 735-742.
Ciplet, D. and Roberts, J.T. (2017) Climate Change and the Transition to Neoliberal Environmental Governance. Global Environmental Change, 46, 148-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.09.003
Du, C. and Liu, Y. (2011) Constructing Energy Saving System Based on Low-Carbon Economy. Energy Procedia, 5, 1998-2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.344
Giurca, A. and Spath, P. (2017) A Forest-Based Bio-Economy for Germany? Strengths, Weaknesses and Policy Options for Lignocellulosic Biorefineries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 153, 51-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.156
Holley, C. and Lecavalier, E. (2017) Energy Governance, Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability: A Case Study from Hong Kong. Energy Policy, 108, 379-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2017.06.010
Bala, G. (2013) Digesting 400 ppm for Global Mean CO2 Concentration. Current Science, 104, 10-11.
Biermann, F., Kanie, N. and Kim, R.E. (2017) Global Governance by Goal-Setting: The Novel Approach of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 26-27, 26-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2017.01.010
Carrasco, J.F. (2014) The Challenge of Changing to a Low-Carbon Economy: A Brief Overview. Low Carbon Economy, 5, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2014.51001
Sarker, M.N.I. (2017). An Introduction to Agricultural Anthropology: Pathway to Sustainable Agriculture. Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 1, 47-52.
Sarker, M.N.I. and Jie, Z. (2017) Social Security for Vulnerable Groups in Bangladesh on Government Perspective: Contribution of Research Leader. Journal of Public Policy and Administration, 1, 1-9.
Liu, C., Kuang, Y., Huang, N. and Liu, X. (2014) An Empirical Research on Evaluation of Low-Carbon Economy in Guangdong Province, China: Based on “Production, Life and Environment.” Low Carbon Economy, 5, 139-152. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2014.54015
Yang, B. (2017) China’s Low-Carbon Economy Development and Carbon Finance Market Supervision Mechanism. Low Carbon Economy, 8, 97-105. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2017.84008
Bo-Feng, C., Jin-Nan, W., Wei-Shan, Y., Lan-Cui, L. and Dong, C. (2012) Low Carbon Society in China: Research and Practice. Advances in Climate Change Research, 3, 106-120. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1248.2012.000106
Tan, S., Yang, J., Yan, J., Lee, C., Hashim, H. and Chen, B. (2017) A Holistic Low Carbon City Indicator Framework for Sustainable Development. Applied Energy, 185, 1919-1930. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.03.041
Monkelbaan, J. (2014) Addressing the Trade-Climate Change-Energy Nexus: China’s Explorations in a Global Governance Landscape. Advances in Climate Change Research, 5, 206-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2015.04.001
Li, D. and Kang, T. (2012) Inspiration from Green Effect of South Korea’s Low-Carbon Economy Development to China. Low Carbon Economy, 3, 154-159. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2012.34020
Ma, H., Oxley, L. and Gibson, J. (2009) China’s Energy Situation in the New Millennium. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13, 1781-1799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2009.01.018
Hou, J., Zhang, P., Tian, Y., Yuan, X. and Yang, Y. (2011) Developing Low-Carbon Economy: Actions, Challenges and Solutions for Energy Savings in China. Renewable Energy, 36, 3037-3042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2011.03.033
Adenle, A.A., Manning, D.T. and Arbiol, J. (2017) Mitigating Climate Change in Africa: Barriers to Financing Low-Carbon Development. World Development, 100, 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.07.033
Keys, P.W., Wang-Erlandsson, L., Gordon, L.J., Galaz, V. and Ebbesson, J. (2017) Approaching Moisture Recycling Governance. Global Environmental Change, 45, 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.04.007
Halkos, G.E. and Tzeremes, N.G. (2013) Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Governance: A Nonparametric Analysis for the G-20. Energy Economics, 40, 110-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2013.06.010
Chen, Q., Cai, B., Dhakal, S., Pei, S., Liu, C., Shi, X. and Hu, F. (2017) CO2 Emission Data for Chinese Cities. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 126, 198-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.07.011
Zhang, L., Li, Q. and Zhou, J. (2017) Critical Factors of Low-Carbon Building Development in China’s Urban Area. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 3075-3082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.10.160
Liu, T., Wang, Y., Song, Q. and Qi, Y. (2017) Low-Carbon Governance in China—Case Study of Low Carbon Industry Park Pilot. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174, 837-846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.339
Lo, K. (2015) How Authoritarian Is the Environmental Governance of China? Environmental Science & Policy, 54, 152-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.06.001
Lo, K. (2014) China’s Low-Carbon City Initiatives: The Implementation Gap and the Limits of the Target Responsibility System. Habitat International, 42, 236-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2014.01.007
Han, F., Xie, R., lu, Y., Fang, J. and Liu, Y. (2018) The Effects of Urban Agglomeration Economies on Carbon Emissions: Evidence from Chinese Cities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 1096-1110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.09.273
Yang, D., Liu, B., Ma, W., Guo, Q., Li, F. and Yang, D. (2017) Sectoral Energy-Carbon Nexus and Low-Carbon Policy Alternatives: A Case Study of Ningbo, China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 156, 480-490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.068
Fu, Y. and Zhang, X. (2017) Planning for Sustainable Cities? A Comparative Content Analysis of the Master Plans of Eco, Low-Carbon and Conventional New Towns in China. Habitat International, 63, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2017.03.008
Wang, C., Engels, A. and Wang, Z. (2017) Overview of Research on China’s Transition to Low-Carbon Development: The Role of Cities, Technologies, Industries and the Energy System. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 81, 1350-1364.
Wang, X. and Chi, C. (2016) Global City Indicators: Towards a Holistic View of Low Carbon City Dimensions. Energy Procedia, 88, 168-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2016.06.042
Guo, R., Zhao, Y., Shi, Y., Li, F., Hu, J. and Yang, H. (2017) Low Carbon Development and Local Sustainability from a Carbon Balance Perspective. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 122, 270-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.02.019
Ma, X., Wang, Y. and Wang, C. (2017) Low-Carbon Development of China’s Thermal Power Industry Based on an International Comparison: Review, Analysis and Forecast. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 80, 942-970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.102
Cheshmehzangi, A., Xie, L. and Tan-mullins, M. (2017) The Role of International Actors in Low-Carbon Transitions of Shenzhen’s International Low Carbon City in China. Cities, 74, 64-74.
Li, Z., Galeano Galván, M.J., Ravesteijn, W. and Qi, Z. (2017) Towards Low Carbon Based Economic Development: Shanghai as a C40 City. Science of the Total Environment, 576, 538-548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.034
Krüger, T. (2016) Conflicts and Storage in International Climate Governance. Energy Policy, 100, 58-67.
Kedia, S. (2016) Approaches to Low Carbon Development in China and India. Advances in Climate Change Research, 7, 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2016.11.001
He, J.K. (2016) Global Low-Carbon Transition and China’s Response Strategies. Advances in Climate Change Research, 7, 204-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2016.06.007
Lv, J. and Qin, S. (2016) On Low-Carbon Technology. Low Carbon Economy, 7, 107-115. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2016.73010
Yuan, Y. (2016) The Development Status, Problems and Countermeasures of China’s Carbon Financial Market. Low Carbon Economy, 7, 62-69. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2016.71007
Gouldson, A., Colenbrander, S., Sudmant, A., Papargyropoulou, E., Kerr, N., McAnulla, F. and Hall, S. (2016) Cities and Climate Change Mitigation: Economic Opportunities and Governance Challenges in Asia. Cities, 54, 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.10.010
Chen, G.Q., Guo, S., Shao, L., Li, J.S. and Chen, Z.M. (2013) Three-Scale Input-Output Modeling for Urban Economy: Carbon Emission by Beijing 2007. Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 18, 2493-2506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnsns.2012.12.029
Liu, W., Spaargaren, G., Mol, A.P.J., Heerink, N. and Wang, C. (2014) Low Carbon Rural Housing Provision in China: Participation and Decision Making. Journal of Rural Studies, 35, 80-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2014.04.005
Zhang, Z. (2010) China in the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy. Energy Policy, 38, 6638-6653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.06.034
Liu, C. and Feng, Y. (2011) Low-Carbon Economy: Theoretical Study and Development Path Choice in China. Energy Procedia, 5, 487-493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.085
Zhao, X., Wu, L. and Li, A. (2017) Research on the Efficiency of Carbon Trading Market in China. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 79, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.034
Zeng, S. (2011) Literature Review of Carbon Finance and Low Carbon Economy for Constructing Low Carbon Society in China. Low Carbon Economy, 2, 15-19. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2011.21003
Chen, Y., Tuerk, A., Kaltenegger, I. and Fruhmann, C. (2016) Low-Carbon Urban Development in China: Current Initiatives, Future Plans and First Lessons. POCACITO Policy Brief, 1.
Su, M.R., Chen, B., Xing, T., Chen, C. and Yang, Z.F. (2012) Development of Low-Carbon City in China: Where Will It Go? Procedia Environmental Sciences, 13, 1143-1148.
Leimer, H.P. (2015) Low Carbon Economy in the Cities of China—Possibilities to Estimate the Potential of CO2-Emissions. Energy Procedia, 78, 2250-2255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2015.11.351
Lai, F. and Ren, J. (2011) On the Necessity and Governance Model of the Construction of China’s Low-Carbon Transportation System. Energy Procedia, 5, 1502-1507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.257
Zhou, N., He, G., Williams, C. and Fridley, D. (2015) ELITE Cities: A Low-Carbon Eco-City Evaluation Tool for China. Ecological Indicators, 48, 448-456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.09.018
Dou, X. (2013) Low Carbon-Economy Development: China’s Pattern and Policy Selection. Energy Policy, 63, 1013-1020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2013.08.089
Wang, Z. (2017) The Study of Carbon Cost Management under the Carbon Trading Mechanism—Based on the Value Chain Theory. Low Carbon Economy, 8, 51-62. https://doi.org/10.4236/lce.2017.82005
Yang, L. and Li, Y. (2013) Low-Carbon City in China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 9, 62-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2013.03.001
Huang, W., Wang, M., Wang, J., Gao, K., Chen, S.L. and Editors, L. (2016) China Low-Carbon Healthy City, Technology Assessment and Practice. Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49071-6
Liu, W. and Qin, B. (2016) Low-Carbon City Initiatives in China: A Review from the Policy Paradigm Perspective. Cities, 51, 131-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.11.010
Baeumler, A., Ijjasz-Vasquez, E. and Mehndiratta, S. (2012) Sustainable Low-Carbon City Development in China.
Zhou, G., Singh, J., Wu, J., Sinha, R., Laurenti, R. and Frostell, B. (2015) Evaluating Low-Carbon City Initiatives from the DPSIR Framework Perspective. Habitat International, 50, 289-299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2015.09.001
Yang, A., Wang, R. and Wang, J. (2017) Green Public Diplomacy and Global Governance: The Evolution of the U.S.-China Climate Collaboration Network, 2008-2014. Public Relations Review, 43, 1048-1061.
Xin, J. and Wu, Y. (2011) The Quantitative Evaluation Method of Low-Carbon Economy Auditing. Energy Procedia, 5, 1014-1018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.179
Niu, Y. (2011) The Economic Thinking on Low Carbon Economy. Energy Procedia, 5, 2368-2372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2011.03.407
Khanna, N., Fridley, D. and Hong, L. (2014) China’s Pilot Low-Carbon City Initiative: A Comparative Assessment of National Goals and Local Plans. Sustainable Cities and Society, 12, 110-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2014.03.005
Price, L., Zhou, N., Fridley, D., Ohshita, S., Lu, H., Zheng, N. and Fino-Chen, C. (2013) Development of a Low-Carbon Indicator System for China. Habitat International, 37, 4-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2011.12.009
Wang, N. and Chang, Y.C. (2014) The Development of Policy Instruments in Supporting Low-Carbon Governance in China. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 35, 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.03.021
Zhang, C., Wang, Q., Shi, D., Li, P. and Cai, W. (2016) Scenario-Based Potential Effects of Carbon Trading in China: An Integrated Approach. Applied Energy, 182, 177-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.133
Zhang, J., Zeng, W., Wang, J., Yang, F. and Jiang, H. (2017) Regional Low-Carbon Economy Efficiency in China: Analysis Based on the Super-SBM Model with CO2 Emissions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 163, 202-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.133