From low-carbon awareness to low-carbon lifestyles: How far do we still need to go? A stakeholder-based analysis of low-carbon city transitions in China

Low-carbon city transition is a key component of China's commitment towards reducing the carbon footprint in accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement. Low-carbon urban development not only requires policy-making but also needs residents to recognize and participate in low-carbon lifestyle. This research aims to analyze factors affecting public awareness in low-carbon city transition in China and the gap between residents' low-carbon awareness and their low-carbon behaviour based on comprehensive interviews with stakeholders and residents within a qualitative framework. There are four main results: (1) The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, along with the advancement of China's dual-carbon goals has raised public low-carbon awareness across various industries, and public low-carbon awareness is a crucial factor in driving low-carbon actions; (2) Many people acquire low-carbon knowledge primarily through short videos or advertisements on social media, where big data algorithms influence how this information is received and perceived by the public; (3) Some people regard climate change as irrelevant to them and not threatening to their health or economic interests, which is a major barrier between awareness and behaviour; (4) Public engagement in low-carbon actions can be enhanced through reward and punishment mechanisms; however, effective policy-making and collaboration among stakeholders are essential for achieving success.