Comparative Subnational Policy Mix: Insights from China’s Coal Transition (2011–2023)

Abstract

This study examines how six Chinese provinces adapted national coal transition mandates into localized policy mixes between 2011 and 2023. Using content analysis of 686 policy documents and 15 stakeholder interviews, it identifies three provincial pathways – administrative-led diversification, administrative-led reduction, and market-driven diversification – shaped by resource endowment, coal economy, and social pressure. The findings highlight divergent goal–instrument combinations across provinces and reveal the institutional logics driving adaptive subnational responses. The study contributes to understanding how centralized climate goals are translated into place-based actions, offering insights for designing flexible, context-sensitive decarbonization strategies under multi-level governance.