Nexus Between Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in China: From the Perspective of Embodied Energy Imports and Exports

ABSTRACT

The nexus between energy consumption and economic growth in China is analyzed from the perspective of embodied energy imports and exports in this article. The research results suggest that China is a net embodied energy exporter and it is the inevitable result of China’s present economic development model. Exporting embodied energy contributes significantly to China’s economic development, and the trade-off costs of employment, trade surplus and government tax for China to reduce embodied energy exports are very high. China is bound by its own policies and unable to radically change its embodied energy exporting position within the foreseeable future.

KEY WORDS:

• economic growth
• embodied energy
• energy consumption
• international trade

Funding

The authors would like to give many thanks to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 71303258, 71373285), the National Social Science Funds of China (Project No. 13&ZD159), the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Project No. 20120007120015), the MOE (Ministry of Education in China), the Project of Humanities and Social Sciences (Project No. 13YJC630148), and the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum, Beijing (Project No. BJ-2011-03) for sponsoring this joint research.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to give many thanks to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 71303258, 71373285), the National Social Science Funds of China (Project No. 13&ZD159), the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Project No. 20120007120015), the MOE (Ministry of Education in China), the Project of Humanities and Social Sciences (Project No. 13YJC630148), and the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum, Beijing (Project No. BJ-2011-03) for sponsoring this joint research.