Research on Structural Characteristics and Optimization of Policy Mix for Pollution Reduction and Carbon Abatement in Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle

Yuhan Gong

doi:10.63313/EPP.9028

Authors

Yuhan Gong Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63313/EPP.9028

Keywords:

Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle, Pollution Reduction and Carbon Abatement, Policy Mix, Policy Text, Structural Characteristics, Regional Coordination

Abstract

Against the background of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals as well as ecological civilization construction, the collaborative governance of pollution reduction and carbon abatement has become an important direction for regional green and low-carbon transition. Taking the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle as the research object, this paper constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework of policy objective–policy instrument–policy intensity based on relevant policy texts from 2000 to 2025, and analyzes the evolution process and structural characteristics of the regional policy mix for pollution reduction and carbon abatement. The study finds that policy supply has generally gone through three stages: the initial stage of traditional pollution governance, the expansion stage of green low-carbon development, and the intensified stage of coordinated pollution reduction and carbon abatement. Policy objectives have gradually expanded from single pollution control to compound goals covering carbon emission reduction, energy transition, industrial transformation, ecological protection and regional coordination. Mandatory policy instruments dominate, while market-oriented and guidance-based instruments have been gradually strengthened; nevertheless, voluntary instruments and social participation mechanisms remain insufficient. Policy intensity keeps increasing, whereas joint governance, standard alignment, data sharing and collaborative evaluation mechanisms between Sichuan and Chongqing still need to be improved. On this basis, it is necessary to strengthen overall objective coordination, optimize the structure of policy instruments, enhance regional collaboration and improve the dynamic evaluation mechanism, so as to promote the policy mix to shift from quantitative expansion to structural optimization.

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