Scenario Prediction of China’s Natural Gas Consumption and Carbon Emissions in the Next Ten Years

Based on Johansen Cointegration Test, this paper sheds light on the long-run equilibrium relationship between natural gas consumption, gas production, and GDP in China. Three different natural gas demand scenarios of low, medium and high rates in the next ten years are considered, and a Neural Network Autoregression Model is used to predict the future carbon dioxide emission. We conclude: (1) In all three scenarios, the growth rates of natural gas consumption are all higher than those of natural gas production, while the gap between demand and domestic supply will gradually turn broader and China will largely rely on imports ; (2) In the scenario of low-rate economic growth, natural gas consumption will grow slowly, and it will be difficult to realize the carbon emission reduction targets by 2030 due to low-rate substitution of natural gas for coal; (3) If medium-rate to high-rate economic growth sustains, coupled with rapid increase in natural gas consumption and production, China’s Carbon Emission Reduction Targets for 2030 can be achieved with high-rate substitution of natural gas for coal.