LAUSR

Abstract If the economic-energy-environment symbiotic system is represented as an intersectoral embedded carbon flow network, does structure of the network matter to carbon reduction in china? Based on the deliberately manipulated longitudinal data from 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012, we combined the methodologies of life cycle assessment (LCA) and social network analysis (SNA) in the input-output framework to mimic intersectoral embedded CO2 flow network in China. With correlation analysis and a panel data model applied to verify the relation between carbon indicators and network metrics, we found that: (1) national consumption carbon intensity co-evolves with cohesion of the whole network; (2) the sector's position in the whole network determines in part the sector's carbon intensity. Our findings have meaningful implication for environmental economic policy, particularly with regards to systematic solution and policy priorities.