Environmental regulation and energy consumption transition of rural residents: A case of China

With rising global temperatures and complex environmental changes, it has become particularly important to reduce carbon emissions and promote clean energy transition, while energy transition in rural areas is difficult. Environmental regulation, as an important policy enforcement tool, plays an important role in protecting the environment, but its impact and mechanism on the energy consumption transition of rural residents are not clear. In this regard, this paper analyses the impact of environmental regulations on the energy consumption transition of rural residents in 30 provinces in China, using provincial panel data from 2005 to 2021. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Environmental regulation can significantly promote the transition of rural residents' clean energy consumption, and the mechanism of action shows that environmental regulation can influence the transition of rural residents' energy consumption through the spread of environmental knowledge, technological progress, and the enhancement of residents' health awareness. (2) Heterogeneity analyses showed that the results of the impact of environmental regulations on the rural residents' energy consumption transition differ by geographic region, level of energy consumption, and temperature. This paper hopes to provide experiences and insights for effectively promoting energy consumption transition and upgrading and alleviating energy poverty in rural areas of China.