This paper investigates the relationship between technological progress in the energy sector and carbon emissions based on the Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) and data from China during the period of 1995–2012. Our study confirms that the situation in China conforms to the EKC hypothesis and presents the inverted U-curve relationship between per capita income and carbon emissions. Furthermore, the inflection point will be reached in at least five years. Then, we use research and development (R & D) investment in the energy industry as the quantitative indicator of its technological progress to test its impact on carbon emissions. Our results show that technological progress in the energy sector contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions with hysteresis. Furthermore, our results show that energy efficiency improvements are also helpful in reducing carbon emissions. However, climate policy and change in industrial structure increase carbon emissions to some extent. Our conclusion demonstrates that currently, China is not achieving economic growth and pollution reduction simultaneously. To further achieve the goal of carbon reduction, the government should increase investment in the energy industry research and improve energy efficiency.

This paper investigates the relationship between energy consumption and technological innovation using a dynamic panel data model and regional-level data from China for the period 1995–2012. In contrast to previous studies, it examines the short and long-run bilateral relationship between technological innovation and energy consumption. The results show that in the short run, technological innovation leads to an increase in energy consumption, while energy consumption has no significant effect on technological innovation. In the long run, however, energy consumption is positively and bilaterally related to technological innovation. These findings suggest that although technological innovation does not directly lead to a reduction in energy consumption as mentioned in the extant literature, it could help achieve sustainability through improving energy efficiency and developing energy structure for developing countries.

It is of great significance to deal with the relationship between external factors and the water-energy-food internal system for China’s sustainable development. This paper takes China as the research object, uses the system dynamics method to construct a model for China’s water-energy-food system, and introduces the “two-child” policy and trade friction as the scenario parameters for simulation. The main results of scenario simulation can be summarized as the following three points. In terms of water, the trade friction will hinder China’s industrial water consumption into a low-consumption stage. In terms of energy, both the trade friction and the “two-child” policy, will not change the increasing trend of energy demand. In terms of food, if there is strong response to the “two-child” policy, there will be insufficient food inventory under the current capacity and import ratio. In short, this paper takes the sustainable development of water-energy-food as a starting point and puts forward policy suggestions on the comprehensive formulation of policies.

Existing studies have suggested that rich mineral resources may serve as a “resource curse” as well as a “resource blessing” with respect to regional economic development. However, the reason behind the emergence of this paradox is not clear. In this paper, we carried out an investigation of the sustainable development of oil and gas industry clusters in eight provinces of China. We studied the panel data of these industry clusters and performed quantitative analysis. By considering the effects of the technical innovation ability of the cluster on its long-term development, we showed that increasing the technical innovation ability of the cluster promoted the development of the industry, which led to a “resource blessing” situation. On the other hand, a mineral resource-based industry cluster may not survive long without technological innovation. Increasing investments in scientific research and technology development and reducing the reckless expansion of the industry cluster may lower the possibility of the occurrence of a “resource curse”.