The Impact of Low Carbon Economic Development on the Income Gap Between Urban and Rural Residents - An Empirical Study Based on Inter-provincial Panel Data in China

The aim of this paper is to explore the impact of low-carbon economic development on the income gap between urban and rural residents in China. By analyzing the current situation of the wide income gap between urban and rural residents and the challenges posed by global climate change to urbanization, this paper argues that developing a low-carbon economy is an effective way to address the income gap and to cope with climate change. The low-carbon economy accomplishes synergistic growth of the economy, society, and natural environment and has a significant influence on the income gap between urban and rural populations. This is done through technological innovation and efficient energy usage. Therefore, promoting the transformative development of a low-carbon economy and the synergistic development of the urban and rural economies is a sure way to achieve sustainable development and a concrete manifestation of the implementation of Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.