Differences in carbon sink potential between urban agglomerations are decreasing: Evidence from China

In the context of global warming, effectively reducing carbon emissions is crucial for the sustainable development of human society. Enhancing carbon sink potential offers an efficient and economical method to reduce carbon emissions. Urban agglomerations, as significant sources and carbon sinks, play a pivotal role in optimizing carbon sink potential. This study examines 19 urban agglomerations in China, employing the improved CRITIC method, Dagum's Gini coefficient, and its decomposition, and the spatial convergence model to assess the carbon sink potential level, identify disparities and their origins, and analyze the convergence mechanism within these urban agglomerations. The findings reveal: (1) Driven by policy support and technological progress, China's urban agglomerations have improved carbon sink potential, with low-level areas diminishing and medium- to high-level areas growing consistently. (2) The variation in carbon sink potential across regions primarily stems from differences among urban agglomerations, suggesting that reducing these disparities could further enhance carbon sink potential. (3) There is a trend of convergence in carbon sink potential among urban agglomerations, indicating that disparities are narrowing over time, moving towards long-term equilibrium. This study extends carbon sink research into urban ecosystems, offering comparative analyses across temporal and spatial dimensions. It enriches the current body of research and provides empirical guidance for China and similar developing countries in pursuing an equilibrium between low-carbon development and economic growth.