Hidden carbon emission in cross-provincial trade has vital impacts
on regional gross carbon emission and coordinated development, a key factor
needed to be considered when planning carbon trade and reaching “carbon peaking” and “carbon neutralization” objectives. This paper uses multiple regional input/output model on
hidden carbon in cross-provincial trade and China’s 2012 and 2017 input/output
data to study the temporal-spatial changes of hidden carbon emission of Shanxi
cross-provincial trade, and employes carbon-transferring-responsibility-sharing
to estimate Shanxi’s responsibilities in hidden carbon emission amid its cross-provincial
trade, and applies structural method to analyze the factors impacting hidden
carbon emission changes in Shanxi’s cross-provincial trade. Shanxi’s net-transferred-in
hidden carbon emission has increased by 12.490 kt during 2012 to 2017, while
its net-transferred-in provinces numbers dropped to 25 from 28. Those having
less net-transferred-out are concentrating in northwestern and southwestern
China. Structural analysis suggests scaling effect be the leading factor
increasing transferred-in and -out of Shanxi’s hidden carbon emission. This
paper presents suggestions on optimizing Shanxi’s hidden carbon emission
policies of its cross-provincial trade.