The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Carbon Emissions: Empirical Evidence From China

In this study, we investigate the short-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China's carbon emissions. We use data for a panel of 30 Chinese provinces over the period January 2020 to December 2020. The results indicate that carbon emissions in China decreased considerably during the COVID-19 outbreak. This finding remains robust when we use different proxies for core variables. The pandemic had a more pronounced impact on carbon emissionsin regions with a surplus of carbon emission allowances, and the negative effects of the pandemic on carbon emissions were greater in the first half of 2020 compared to the second half. Reduced carbon emissions are just a temporary and short-term benefit of the COVID-19 pandemic. The negative impact of COVID-19 on China's carbon emissions is unsustainable in the long-run. This study provides valuable recommendations for China and other countries to achieve green economic recovery and climate goals in the post-pandemic era