Regional Carbon Efficiency in China: A Super-SBM Model with Undesirable Outputs

Abstract

In this paper, we use the Super-SBM model with undesirable output (Super-SBM-UN) to measure the carbon efficiency of thirteen regions and seven sub-areas in China from 2002 to 2014. Firstly, the results indicate that the proposed Super-SBM-UN model can effectively rank the SBM-efficient regions. Secondly, China’s overall carbon efficiency is low which urgently needs to be improved. Thirdly, China’s regional carbon efficiency is extremely unbalanced that Beijing, Shanghai mostly appear at the efficient frontier among 30 regions and the south area rank first among seven regions. And different areas present different development trends of carbon efficiency. Finally, we provide relevant suggestions to improve the carbon efficiency based on their carbon emission characteristics.