Characteristics of industrial driving effects network and impacts on carbon emissions

To study the impact of industrial driving effects on carbon emissions, this article integrated multiregional input–output theory with complex network theory to construct the industrial driving effect network (IDEN). Then, the impacts of the roles of regions on carbon emissions are quantified by econometric theory. The results show that the core driving effects occur in capital, raw material consumption, and material processing industries, such as the smelting and pressing of ferrous and nonferrous metals. From a regional perspective, 86.28% of driving effects come from central and eastern areas. The top 20% of regions account for 73.64% of the total driving effects. Zhejiang (ZJ) and Guangdong (GD) drive 76.67% of China’s regional development. The different roles of the industrial driving effect have a positive impact on carbon emissions. This study indicates that carbon emission reduction policies should consider the roles of regions in the industrial driving effect.