A Study on The Driving Factors and Spatial Spillover of Carbon Emission Intensity in The Yangtze River Economic Belt under Double Control Action

It is greatly important to promote low-carbon green transformations in China, for implementing the emission reduction commitments and global climate governance. However, understanding the spatial spillover effects of carbon emissions will help the government achieve this goal. This paper selects the carbon-emission intensity panel data of 11 provinces in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2004 to 2016. Then, this paper uses the Global Moran’s I to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and spatial correlation of carbon emission intensity. Furthermore, this paper constructs a spatial econometric model to empirically test the driving path and spillover effects of relevant factors. The results show that there is a significant positive correlation with the provincial carbon intensity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, but this trend is weakening. The provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai are High–High agglomerations, while the provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou are Low–Low agglomerations. Economic development, technological innovation, and foreign direct investion (FDI) have positive effects on the reduction of carbon emissions, while industrialization has a negative effect on it. There is also a significant positive spatial spillover effect of the industrialization level and technological innovation level. The spatial spillover effects of FDI and economic development on carbon emission intensity fail to pass a significance test. Therefore, it is necessary to promote cross-regional low-carbon development, accelerate the R&D of energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies, actively enhance the transformation and upgrade industrial structures, and optimize the opening up of the region and the patterns of industrial transfer

Identification and Implications of Trimethyl-n-Alkylbenzenes in Marine Oils from the Deep Tarim Basin

The source of marine oils from the deep Tarim Basin is still in debate due to several alteration processes of source indicators. A series of trimethyl-alkylbenzenes has been detected in marine oils from this old, composite basin, besides the reported aryl isoprenoids with 2,3,6-trimethyl substitution (AIPs). They are characterized by regular gas chromatography elution pattern, which is similar to that of n-alkylbenzenes, and suggest a strong possibility of n-alkyl side chains. C15 trimethyl-n-alkylbenzenes were synthesized by Friedel–Crafts acylation of trimethylbenzene isomers to determine their structures. Based on the chromatography and mass spectra data and the coinjection of synthesized compounds, this series of compounds has been assigned as the 2,4,5-trimethyl-n-alkylbenzenes that coeluted with 2,3,5-trimethyl-n-alkylbenzenes, and other trimethyl-n-alkylbenzene isomers were also detected. This series of trimethyl-n-alkylbenzene (AAs) shows much higher relative abundances in light and waxy oils than in normal and heavy oils, which is opposite to the variation in relative abundances of aryl isoprenoids. The ratios of these trimethyl-n-alkylbenzenes to the aryl isoprenoids (AA/AIP ratio) generally show a good correlation with the maturity indicators for most of studied oils despite of some outliers (mainly condensates). The pyrolysis of asphaltenes has confirmed these trends. These results support an important control of thermal stress on the molecular compositions of marine oils from the deep Tarim Basin, besides other secondary alteration processes (such as oil mixing and migration fractionation, among others). These factors should be given a full consideration for the source determination of deep and ultradeep oils

D/H ratio analysis of pyrolysis-released n-alkanes from asphaltenes for correlating oils from different sources

When oil has been greatly altered by severe biodegradation, asphaltene pyrolysis is commonly conducted to obtain intact n-alkanes for carbon isotope analysis, through which oil source characterization and oil oil correlations can be performed. The ratio of hydrogen isotopes deuterium and hydrogen (D/H ratio) in the individual n-alkanes of oil maltenes has been shown to indicate differences between the depositional environments of the oil sources. The utility of the D/H ratio analysis of n-alkanes from the asphaltene pyrolysis for oil correlation need to be demonstrated. In this study, 18 asphaltene samples from different sources were collected and isothermally pyrolyzed in sealed gold tubes. Effects of the pyrolysis temperature were first illustrated for molecular ratios of alkanes and aromatic compounds and for D/H ratios of pyrolysis-yielded n-alkanes. In the case of n-alkanes in oil maltenes being unavailable for analysis after severe biodegradation, the D/H ratio range of the n-alkanes from the asphaltene pyrolysis was found to be consistent both in normal and biodegraded oils from the same source, indicating that biodegradation has had little effect on their hydrogen isotope signatures. In addition, n-alkanes yielded by asphaltenes from different sources possess clearly different D/H ratios, enabling n-alkane correlation between maltenes that are otherwise very similar. However, relatively large differences of D/H ratios can exist between n-alkanes in the asphaltene pyrolyzates and in maltenes, once the oil was altered by oil mixing formed at different maturity levels. The proposed method is thus helpful in oil oil correlation for significantly biodegraded oil and oil from a mixed origin

What Factors Affect the Level of Green Urbanization in the Yellow River Basin in the Context of New-Type Urbanization?

Promoting new-type urbanization with the concept of green development has become an inevitable requirement for high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. Grasping the development trend and influencing factors of green urbanization level in the Yellow River Basin is of great significance for implementing the international conventions on environmental protection and participating in global environmental governance. This paper selects the green urbanization level panel data of nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2006 to 2018. Then, principal component analysis and factor analysis are applied to measure and evaluate the green urbanization level of each province. Furthermore, this paper constructs a dynamic panel estimation model and uses differential generalized method of moments (DIF-GMM) model and system generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) model to explore the influencing factors. The results show that the overall level of green urbanization in the Yellow River Basin has steadily and rapidly increased, and there are significant spatial differences. The green urbanization level of eastern provinces is significantly higher than that of central and western provinces. In addition, the overall level of green urbanization shows a convergence trend. From the perspective of influencing factors, the factors that have significant positive effects on the level of green urbanization include economic development level, technological innovation level, and urban size. Industrial structure, foreign direct investment (FDI), and education level counteract the level of green urbanization. However, environmental regulation strength and opening degree fail to pass the significance test. Therefore, it is necessary to promote and upgrade industrial transformation, improve the quality of opening up, and strengthen cooperation in technological innovation and environmental governance. There are requirements that the government control the urban size and population scientifically and implement the environmental access system strictly in order to improve the level of green urbanization in the Yellow River Basin. It is more possible to achieve harmonious economic and ecological environment development