Influences of Student Household Characteristics on Commuting CO2 Emissions: A Case Study of Haining, Zhejiang Province, China

Previous research has found that income, gender, occupation, and car availability are the primary driving factors for commuting CO2 emissions (CCE). However, when the scope is narrowed down to small-and medium-sized cities and student households, the variables and the results can be different from those in past studies, which discuss metropolises and all types of households. This study uses optimal scaling regression to quantitatively examine how student household characteristics of a small-or medium-sized city can affect commuting emissions. The study uses Haining (Zhejiang province, China) as a case study. The results indicate that car ownership, occupation of the head of the household, and accompanying children to and from school have significant influences on commuting emissions. These findings can help policy makers and urban planners better understand how student households in small-and medium-sized cities can influence the CCE, and consequently, create more effective measures for low-carbon-dioxide developments.