Abstract: On the basis of a deeper interpretation of the theoretical and technical framework of carbon emission PDA model, this paper carries out a study of the carbon emission factors decomposition with the related data of 30 provinces in China during the period from 2005 to 2015. The empirical results show that the leading factors to realize carbon emission reduction are the potential energy consumption intensity, the efficiency of carbon emission technology and the output technical progress, while the potential carbon emission intensity, the potential output level and the carbon emission reduction technology would produce significant impact on the intensifying level of carbon emission. In the long run, the improvement of carbon emission reduction technology efficiency and the advancement of production technology are the key factors for achieving sustainable carbon emission reduction.

Key words: carbon emissions; distance function; data envelopment analysis; PDA model