Is the Economy, Environment and Energy (3E) System Sustainable?—An Analysis of the Coordination Degree of Carbon Decoupling and Energy Equity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

As the climate crisis intensifies, the low-carbon transition seems to be the necessary path to maintain the sustainability of the 3E system. However, does it no longer pose potential threats to sustainability? In the context of the low-carbon transition, this study reveals hidden worries about the sustainability of the 3E system from an energy equity perspective, specifically focusing on the coordination between carbon decoupling and energy equity. This study innovatively calculates the level of carbon decoupling and energy equity in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2008 to 2019 and explores the degree of coordinated development between carbon decoupling and energy equity by employing the coupling coordination model and bivariate local Moran index. The results show the following: (1) from 2008 to 2019, the energy equity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt showed steady improvement, but the overall level was still not high, being below 0.5; (2) the upstream and downstream regions showed more obvious resistance in maintaining the coordinated development of carbon decoupling and energy equity, but there are structural differences among them; (3) inter-basin differences were an important feature of the low-carbon economy and equitable energy development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in the past. This study provides policy implications and research insights for promoting the sustainability of the 3E system in transition countries from an energy equity perspective.