The main aim of this study was to examine residents’ environmental behavior in sorting solid household waste, and to identify the integrative factors that contribute to their waste-separation cooperation and other related pro-environmental behaviors. This was achieved based on a questionnaire survey in Shenyang, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Methodologically, we applied a discrete choice model to examine whether individuals’ garbage sorting behaviors differ based on their characteristics, social attributes, residential circumstances, and environmental awareness, and whether these factors are correlated with individuals’ receptiveness to a refuse charge system, or to policies requiring garbage sorting. We further examined whether individuals’ garbage sorting behavior, their receptiveness to fee-based waste collection, and their receptiveness to policies requiring garbage sorting differ across areas. In this particular survey, we introduced a 16 item scale of pro-environmental behavior and a nine item scale of altruism to ascertain the ways in which internal motivational factors affect people’s environmentally conscious voluntary behavior. Overall, the present work is expected to contribute to an important understanding of the motivational forces and incentives behind human pro-environmental behavior and action. It also brings relevance to the analysis of moral solidarity in relation to the household waste disposal problems currently confronting us today.

Japan faces the challenge of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining economic growth and energy security. This study aims to analyze the potential impact on Japan’s economy and industries if the country achieves its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target, implements a power mix plan to meet that target, and simultaneously pursues the Growth Strategy Council’s proposal for a power mix plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The study also investigates an alternative carbon neutrality pathway without nuclear power. The research question is whether these low-carbon policies can lead to both economic growth and decarbonization in Japan. To address this question, the study uses the E3ME-FTT macroeconomic model with endogenous technology diffusion to simulate different policy scenarios and assess their economic and environmental impacts. The results indicate that by 2050, Japan could meet its carbon neutrality target, and at the same time, the GDP could increase by approximately 3% compared with the baseline scenario, with or without nuclear power. This growth is expected to occur in several sectors due to increased demand for decarbonization-related investments and strong private consumption. Additionally, the overall economy is expected to benefit from the increased demand for low-carbon and decarbonization-related investments, reduced costs associated with renewable energy generation, and an improved trade balance resulting from a significant decrease in fossil fuel imports.

Understanding how climate policies shape local emissions, population dynamics, and consumption patterns is essential for achieving carbon peaking and neutrality goals. As the climate change governance regime evolves, it is inevitable that, in addition to the central government, county-level regulatory actors will be involved in decision-making. This study utilizes a quasi-natural experiment to analyze county-level panel data from 2007 to 2017 as research objects. The nationwide low-carbon pilot policies established in 2010 and 2012 serve as the primary focus of this study. We employ a staggered Difference-in-Differences model to empirically analyze the impact of these pilot programs on carbon emission reductions. The results show that the policy significantly reduces carbon emissions by 30.52% on average, with pronounced spatial heterogeneity across central, suburban, and remote counties. Population redistribution contributes to emission reductions but raises equity concerns in remote counties. Meanwhile, residents remain in a high-carbon consumption phase, revealing the limitations of production-focused policies. These findings highlight the importance of integrating demand-side measures and spatially differentiated strategies into China’s climate governance framework.