Performance and reduction potential of energy and CO₂ emissions among the APEC's members with considering the return to scale

Nowadays, facing serious energy problems and climate change, the study of energy performance and CO₂ emissions performance of the main energy consumers and CO₂ emitters, has been a hot topic in academe. By constructing a non-parametric global production technology exhibiting variable returns to scale and a non-radial directional distance function model, this paper thoroughly examined the energy, economic and CO₂ emissions performance, and reduction potential of energy and CO₂ emissions among the 18 main APEC members from 2005 to 2013. Three main conclusions were drawn: 1) the energy, economic and CO₂ emissions performance varied with the economic level of the members. With exception of Canada and Australia, three kinds of performance associated with developed member appeared to be higher than those of developing members. 2) The developing members, especially China and Russia had greater reduction potential of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. 3) Energy and CO₂ emissions performance were significantly negatively correlated to energy intensity and industrial structure, carbon intensity and industrial structure, respectively, with more than 0.504 correlation coefficient under 5% significant level. Reducing energy and CO₂ emissions intensity, and the share of the industrial added value in total GDP may efficiently improve energy and CO₂ emissions performance.