Threshold effect of urbanization level on household energy consumption in beijing-tianjin-hebei region

Abstract

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region is an important economic center of China but has the problem of severe environmental pollution. Urbanization prompts the household energy consumption growth and then deteriorates the environmental conditions in this region. Based on panel data of the BTH region from 2000 to 2017, this research uses a dynamic threshold model with per capita disposable income as the threshold variable to investigate the non-linear impact of urbanization on household energy consumption. The empirical results show that: 1) In the process of urbanization, per capita resident disposable income has a significant threshold effect on household energy consumption, and their relationship presents an inverted U-shaped trend. 2) The change of household energy consumption habits can significantly improve the household energy consumption level. 3) Industrial structure adjustment, urban population density, and education level of residents have restraining effects on household energy consumption growth. 4) Technical advance and GDP per capita growth opposite effects. The empirical analysis also shows that the regional government can consider increasing the disposable income of the residents in Hebei Province to alleviate the imbalance in energy consumption. At the same time, efforts should be made to develop high-tech industries and high-end service industries, and adopt a more intensive urban planning development model to increase urban population density.