Research on the Influencing Mechanisms of Carbon Emissions in the Typical Chinese Urban Agglomeration in the Yangtze River Delta

Urban agglomeration plays a vital role in fostering high-quality and sustainable development in China,where urbanization rates significantly influence both urban and rural environments,generating different economic and socio-spatial impacts that,in turn,influence carbon emissions in cities.To delve into the influencing mechanisms of carbon emissions,this paper examines the spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions across 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration in China.It utilizes data on economic,social,and spatial factors from 2012 to 2019 and employs a spatial econometric regression model for analysis.The results indicate that carbon emissions of cities in the urban agglomeration exhibited strong spatial correlation from 2012 to 2019,characterized by relatively stable cold and hot spots,along with continuous outward spread of high-value zones.Economic and social factors demonstrate a significant positive spatial correlation with carbon emissions of a city,with weak spatial spillover effects.Spatial factors exhibit correlations with carbon emissions in both the city and neighboring cities,with strong spatial spillover effects.Moreover,the spatial layout and functional division of cities in the urban agglomeration also significantly impact the spatio-temporal pattern of carbon emissions.