How does Energy Endowment and Technological Progress Affect Carbon Emission Intensity? -An Empirical Analysis Based on China's Yangtze River Economic Zone

Based on provincial panel data of 11 provinces (municipalities) in Yangtze River Economic Zone from 1997 to 2015, the paper analyzes the effect of energy endowment, technological progress and their interaction on carbon emission intensity using the fixed effect model. The results show that: (1) Technological progress has an inhibitory effect carbon emission intensity, while energy endowment has a promotion effect carbon emission intensity. And the inhibitory effect of the former is stronger than the promoting effect of the latter. (2) There is a strong interaction between energy endowment and technological progress. Technological progress may lead to the loss of the relative advantage of regional energy endowment, and the loss of energy endowment advantage will create a feedback loop with the power and demand of technological progress. The interaction of this benign cycle favors the reduction of carbon emission intensity. (3) There are regional differences in the effects of energy endowments and technological progress on carbon emission intensity. In terms of the effect of energy endowment, it is the weakest in the Yangtze River Delta region, and is the strongest in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River. In terms of the effect of technological progress, it is negative in the Yangtze River Delta region and the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, however positive in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River.