Spatial correlation network structure characteristics of carbon emission efficiency and its influencing factors at city level in China.

The improved gravity model was used to determine the spatial correlation of carbon emission efficiency (CEE) among cities, and then the spatial correlation network of CEE of 284 Chinese cities from 2006 to 2019 was constructed for the first time. Based on the social network analysis method, the structural characteristics and influencing factors of the network were analyzed. It was found that: (1) The spatial correlation of CEE at city level is obvious, the overall correlation intensity is increasing, and the aggregation of correlation is significant. (2) The network shows a core–edge structure, cities with high economic development, such as Shenzhen, Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, occupying the center of the network, while cities with relatively weak development such as Heihe, Jiuquan, Baotou and Baoshan are at the edge. (3) The network can be divided into four plates, with sparse association within the plate and the strong spillover effect between the plates. (4) Spatial adjacency relationship, differences in economic development, industrial development, green technology innovation and energy consumption have significant positive effects on establishing a spatial network, while geographical distance has significant negative effects on it. The results can help governments to clearly realize the correlation of CEE between cities and identify the role that each city can play in improving the overall CEE, so as to provide guidance for governments to further formulate accurate carbon emission reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]