The Spatial-Temporal Evolution of China’s Carbon Emission Intensity and the Analysis of Regional Emission Reduction Potential under the Carbon Emissions Trading Mechanism
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
It is a very important and interesting work if it es well presented. But it is very confusing. The methodological process has not been adequately described, and mathematical models have not been explained adequatelym even if these are not from the authors. As well the results, are very confusing, especially for foreigners. Data should be presented on maps from the begging, it would be interesting to show on maps the more populated provinces, and more industrialized provinces, and the results and indexes of pollution also presented on maps. The charts and names are probably only recognizable for Chinese, but if it is presented somehow in maps, probably it will show spacial correlations. Observations has been included in the pdf file.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
- 2.2节没有详细阐述和分析影响因素的识别结果。
- 第三节碳排放权交易机制的减排效果评价已经进行了详细的研究和描述，但不宜放在讨论中，可以部分放在第二节。
- 文章中多次提到碳排放交易市场机制，但在选择影响碳排放的因素时并未考虑。
- 能否考虑加入地理加权回归模型，对选定的五个空间影响因素进行深入探索？
- The author mainly uses the Theil index and Moran index to analyze the regional differences and temporal and spatial evolution trends of China's carbon emission intensity, further establishes the emission reduction effectiveness standard of the carbon emission rights trading mechanism, and discusses the emission reduction effect of carbon emission rights. .
- According to the emission factor method, the author converts different energy sources into standard coal to measure the total carbon emission by converting the standard coal coefficient, but the article does not explain clearly the type of energy used in the conversion process.
- 文章的主题是碳排放交易机制下中国碳排放强度和区域减排潜力的时空演变分析，但对中国区域碳排放时空演变研究的界定和阐述碳排放权交易机制下的强度和区域减排潜力 不够明确。
- 作者的结论对中国30个省份碳排放强度的区域差异和时空趋势尚不明确。作者文章中涉及的参考文献太旧了，希望能补充最新时间段的文献引用和信息参考。
- 碳排放影响因素选择的依据和考虑是什么？既然大部分来自现有的研究，那么文章的创新点在哪里？
- 标题中提到了碳排放的“时空演化”，但文中缺乏空间可视化，有些表格可以考虑用图纸来表达。
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
The topic of this paper matches the Sustainability journal nicely. Also, the authors did an excellent job in quantitatively analyzing the regional carbon intensity and reduction potentials. The quantitative methods selected and used are convincible, and the policy recommendations are thought-provoking. All in all, the manuscript is considered acceptable and no further revision is required.
Author Response
Thank the review experts for their affirmation of the article. The article further improves the grammar, especially in the application of definite articles and indefinite articles. Thank you for your valuable suggestions.Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Even with mapping, the data improves the understanding of the research, citation, subtitle, and graphics remain. Please, carefully and take some time please review all the citations, and titles formatting cause errors remain do the quality of the presentation of the paper leaves much to be desired and affects the quality of the journal. The maps included must describe the units in the legend to explain better what is been described
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
