Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect

The initial allocation of carbon emission quotas should be of primary concern when establishing China’s unified carbon emission trading market. Essentially, the issue of national carbon quota allocation is an allocation among China’s provinces. The novel bi-level allocation schem...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Qunli Wu, Hongjie Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/11/2118
_version_ 1818007649061437440
author Qunli Wu
Hongjie Zhang
author_facet Qunli Wu
Hongjie Zhang
author_sort Qunli Wu
collection DOAJ
description The initial allocation of carbon emission quotas should be of primary concern when establishing China’s unified carbon emission trading market. Essentially, the issue of national carbon quota allocation is an allocation among China’s provinces. The novel bi-level allocation scheme that is based on weighted voting model is put forward, which divides allocation process into two levels, given that there are great regional differences in China. At the first level, k-means clustering is employed to cluster 29 provinces into four categories that are based on emission abatement responsibility, potential, capacity, pressure, and motivation. Subsequently, the national carbon quotas are allocated to the four classes. At the second level, carbon quotas of a class are allocated to each region in this class. The weighted voting models are constructed for the two levels, where each region selects their preferable scheme from three fundamental allocation schemes that are based on their voting rights. The comprehensive index method quantifies each region’s voting rights, which utilizes the information entropy method at the first level and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) at the second level. The carbon trading market is simulated and welfare effects obtained from carbon trading market under different allocation schemes are measured to verify the rationality of the proposed model. The results indicate: (1) the emission abatement burdens are borne by all provinces in China, but the burden shares are different, which are related to their respective carbon emission characteristics. (2) The differences in carbon intensity among regions in 2030 have narrowed on the basis of the results of 2005, which means that the proposed scheme can balance corresponding differences. (3) When compared with three fundamental allocation schemes, the bi-level allocation scheme can obtain the most welfare effects, while the differences in the welfare effect among regions under this scheme are the smallest, which indicates that the proposed model is feasible for policy-maker.
first_indexed 2024-04-14T05:19:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5dcabc11585644909e591773af8572fe
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-14T05:19:25Z
publishDate 2019-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-5dcabc11585644909e591773af8572fe2022-12-22T02:10:16ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-06-011211211810.3390/en12112118en12112118Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare EffectQunli Wu0Hongjie Zhang1Department of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, 689 Huadian Road, Baoding 071000, ChinaDepartment of Economics and Management, North China Electric Power University, 689 Huadian Road, Baoding 071000, ChinaThe initial allocation of carbon emission quotas should be of primary concern when establishing China’s unified carbon emission trading market. Essentially, the issue of national carbon quota allocation is an allocation among China’s provinces. The novel bi-level allocation scheme that is based on weighted voting model is put forward, which divides allocation process into two levels, given that there are great regional differences in China. At the first level, k-means clustering is employed to cluster 29 provinces into four categories that are based on emission abatement responsibility, potential, capacity, pressure, and motivation. Subsequently, the national carbon quotas are allocated to the four classes. At the second level, carbon quotas of a class are allocated to each region in this class. The weighted voting models are constructed for the two levels, where each region selects their preferable scheme from three fundamental allocation schemes that are based on their voting rights. The comprehensive index method quantifies each region’s voting rights, which utilizes the information entropy method at the first level and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) at the second level. The carbon trading market is simulated and welfare effects obtained from carbon trading market under different allocation schemes are measured to verify the rationality of the proposed model. The results indicate: (1) the emission abatement burdens are borne by all provinces in China, but the burden shares are different, which are related to their respective carbon emission characteristics. (2) The differences in carbon intensity among regions in 2030 have narrowed on the basis of the results of 2005, which means that the proposed scheme can balance corresponding differences. (3) When compared with three fundamental allocation schemes, the bi-level allocation scheme can obtain the most welfare effects, while the differences in the welfare effect among regions under this scheme are the smallest, which indicates that the proposed model is feasible for policy-maker.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/11/2118carbon emission quotabi-level allocation schemeweighted voting modelwelfare effect
spellingShingle Qunli Wu
Hongjie Zhang
Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
Energies
carbon emission quota
bi-level allocation scheme
weighted voting model
welfare effect
title Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
title_full Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
title_fullStr Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
title_full_unstemmed Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
title_short Research on Optimization Allocation Scheme of Initial Carbon Emission Quota from the Perspective of Welfare Effect
title_sort research on optimization allocation scheme of initial carbon emission quota from the perspective of welfare effect
topic carbon emission quota
bi-level allocation scheme
weighted voting model
welfare effect
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/11/2118
work_keys_str_mv AT qunliwu researchonoptimizationallocationschemeofinitialcarbonemissionquotafromtheperspectiveofwelfareeffect
AT hongjiezhang researchonoptimizationallocationschemeofinitialcarbonemissionquotafromtheperspectiveofwelfareeffect