{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:31:46Z","timestamp":1760059906727,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752710400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Project (China)","award":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"]}]},{"name":"Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (China)","award":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"]}]},{"name":"Major Humanities and Social Sciences Research Projects in Zhejiang higher education institutions (China)","award":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"]}]},{"name":"Hangzhou Key Research Base of Philosophy and Social Sciences \u201cResearch Center for Innovation and Development of Platform Economy\u201d","award":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["\u201c25NDJC076YB\u201d","\u201c2025QN82\u201d","\u201c2024QN001\u201d"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In response to the escalating global energy demands, the optimization of energy efficiency has emerged as a linchpin for sustainable development. This study considers the potential of energy conservation and emission reduction in one of the most economically vibrant and resource-intensive regions in China, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, encompassing 11 provinces and cities. The SBM-Undesirable model is used to measure the energy efficiency and analyze the temporal-spatial distribution. Moran\u2019s I is employed to analyze the overall spatial pattern and local regional differences in energy efficiency. The systematic analysis shows that the temporal fluctuation exists in the development of energy efficiency, and the average of the Yangtze River Economic Belt exhibits a development pattern of \u201cdownstream &gt; midstream &gt; upstream\u201d from the spatial perspective. The upstream region would require way more effort than others to decarbonize and improve efficiency. At the municipal level, the overall energy efficiency of 11 provinces and cities fails to reach an efficient state, and potential for improvement exists. Moreover, the potential model of energy conservation and emission reduction is constructed. We further explore the pathways of energy efficiency improvement for each region in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, including pathways of \u201cHigh-Efficiency Type\u201d, \u201cHigh Emission Reduction Potential\u201d, and \u201cExtensive Development Type\u201d.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13070601","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T13:00:51Z","timestamp":1752757251000},"page":"601","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Exploring Carbon Emission Reduction Pathways: Analysis of Energy Conservation Potential in Yangtze River Economic Belt"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Weiping","family":"Cui","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Management, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China"}]},{"given":"Rongjia","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China"},{"name":"School of Management, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China"}]},{"given":"Zhen","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Management, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jia, X., and Guang, W. 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