Abstract A thorough understanding of carbon lock-in is an essential precondition for the effective design and continuous improvement of climate policy. Based on a balanced panel dataset of 30 provinces in China during the period 2002–2021, we explore the nexus between smart transportation and carbon lock-in using the System-Generalized Method of Moments (SYS-GMM) model. We also investigate the heterogeneous, asymmetric, and threshold effects among the above two issues, and examine three internal impact mechanisms. We thus arrive at the following four main conclusions: (1) Smart transportation significantly reduces carbon lock-in, highlighting its importance in eradicating carbon lock-in. (2) Smart transportation has the most pronounced impact on carbon lock-in in the central region, and can effectively mitigate all aspects of carbon lock-in, especially industry lock-in and institution lock-in. (3) Smart transportation is more effective in alleviating carbon lock-in in provinces with a higher level of carbon lock-in. Moreover, a threshold of environmental regulation exists between smart transportation and carbon lock-in, with stricter environmental regulation leading to a stronger carbon lock-in reduction effect of smart transportation. (4) Smart transportation indirectly influences carbon lock-in through three channels of economic scale, industrial structure upgrading, and technological innovation. Based on these findings, we propose some policy recommendations for smart transportation development and carbon lock-in mitigation.

    Highlights This paper examines the carbon unlocking effect of smart transportation. Smart transportation significantly alleviates carbon lock-in in China. Smart transportation exerts heterogeneous and asymmetric effects on carbon lock-in. The nexus between smart transportation and carbon lock-in has an environmental regulation threshold effect. Scale, structure, and technology effects are three influence channels.


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    Title :

    Can smart transportation inhibit carbon lock-in? The case of China


    Contributors:
    Dong, Kangyin (author) / Jia, Rongwen (author) / Zhao, Congyu (author) / Wang, Kun (author)

    Published in:

    Transport Policy ; 142 ; 59-69


    Publication date :

    2023-08-08


    Size :

    11 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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