Coupled and Coordinated Development of Economic Growth and Green Sustainability in a Manufacturing Enterprise under the Context of Dual Carbon Goals: Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

1 Introduction

During the 75th United Nations General Assembly, China officially announced its goals of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Following the introduction of the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals, various regions will face new challenges in terms of industrial structure, transportation development, ecological conservation, and energy utilization. The manufacturing industry accounts for 20–30% of China’s industrial sector, serving as the backbone and foundation of the national economy and a key driver of national strength. However, it is also a significant contributor to energy consumption and pollution. Therefore, the manufacturing industry stands as a crucial battlefield in achieving the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals.

The manufacturing industry is one of the key industries that a country strives to develop. It mainly involves transforming available resources or energy into goods that serve human survival and needs through various processing processes. However, the production process generates substantial resource consumption, environmental impacts, and risks to human health. Achieving steady coordination between the economy and environmental resources in the manufacturing sector can provide a strong impetus for realizing the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals and ensure sustainable development. The rapid development of the manufacturing industry will inevitably demand higher energy requirements (Wang & Wang, 2019). However, this growth will also lead to a rapid increase in carbon emissions from the manufacturing sector. Under the backdrop of the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, government policies, market conditions, and industrial capabilities will impose new requirements on the development of the manufacturing industry. While the industry faces opportunities, it is also subject to the dual constraints of resources and the environment. Industrial development is influenced by multiple factors, including economic and social factors (Xu & Zhang, 2019). Therefore, low-carbon manufacturing is an economic development strategy that simultaneously enhances manufacturing productivity and environmental performance (Cao et al., 2012; Mohanty & Deshmukh, 1998). Promoting the coordinated development of the economy and the environment, improving sustainable efficiency, and encouraging the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry are essential aspects of this strategy (Yin & Xu, 2022).

Both domestic and international scholars have conducted extensive research on achieving low-carbon, energy-efficient, and high-efficiency goals in the manufacturing industry, focusing on areas such as emission sources, treatment methods, and implementation strategies. Scholars believe that the best measure to achieve the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals is to reduce carbon emissions. The development of the digital economy plays a significant role in reducing various pollutant emissions (Deng & Zhang, 2022), promoting the development of low-carbon industries (Wu & Gao, 2020), and decreasing carbon emission intensity (Xie, 2022). The development of the digital economy facilitates the efficient flow of data, promoting coordination among production, distribution, circulation, and consumption. It optimizes production processes and reduces energy consumption (Xu et al., 2022). Furthermore, digital technologies and platforms, such as internet technology, have been widely applied in enterprise research and development, design, manufacturing, marketing, and management. By optimizing energy utilization technologies and production processes, energy efficiency is improved, leading to lower energy consumption. She et al. (2022) pointed out that the development of the digital economy promotes economic aggregation and positively contributes to carbon emission reduction through economic aggregation. Zhou et al. (2021) emphasized that the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry and the transformation of digital innovation capabilities have a significant impact on green research and development performance, green manufacturing performance, and green service performance. Yang et al. (2023) found that professional agglomeration and economic aggregation contribute to the improvement of low-carbon innovation performance in the manufacturing industry, with economic aggregation playing a regulatory role between industry agglomeration and low-carbon innovation performance in manufacturing. The research conducted by Martin and Ottaviano (2001) indicated that economic aggregation can facilitate the sharing of transportation, warehousing, and other infrastructure, thereby reducing resource consumption and pollution caused by redundant construction. Furthermore, Lin and Tan (2019) proposed that knowledge spillover in the agglomeration process can accelerate the dissemination of advanced technologies and experiences, thereby increasing industrial innovation output.

However, excessive economic aggregation can lead to congestion effects, causing scale inefficiencies within clusters and accelerating environmental degradation (Guo, 2023). Therefore, scholars have proposed that green technological innovation should consider both energy conservation and emission reduction, aiming for green and sustainable development. This approach serves as an important driving force for achieving high-quality economic development and comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development under the constraints of carbon reduction (Li & Wu, 2023; Tian et al., 2020). Promoting the development of a low-carbon economy, improving the level of clean energy technologies (Kong, 2023), enhancing the efficiency of energy use, particularly fuels (Su et al., 2022), and effectively curbing carbon dioxide emissions (Zhang & Feng, 2021) are all effective measures for enterprises to improve their level of green innovation through technological effects. These measures effectively promote regional green and low-carbon economic growth (Guo & Li, 2021; Lu & Wang, 2023). Du et al. (2015), based on the theory of low-carbon, proposed a new operational model for the machinery manufacturing industry considering resources and energy consumption. Taking machine tool manufacturing companies as a case study, they explained low-carbon product design, source control, process control, and product disposal, emphasizing the importance for machine tool manufacturers to balance the competing goals of reducing carbon emissions and increasing production capacity. Low-carbon manufacturing is an economic development strategy that aims to simultaneously improve productivity and environmental performance in the manufacturing industry (Mohanty & Deshmukh, 1998).

Balancing the competing goals with the ultimate objective is challenging. In this regard, scholars have proposed theories on the coupling of economy, environment, and resources. Xue (2023) proposed a study on the coupling coordination of China’s manufacturing industry’s digital transformation and green development in the context of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality.” The results showed that the coupling coordination index increased from 0.395 in 2016 to 0.475 in 2020, indicating a transition from low-level to moderate-level coupling coordination. Zhang et al. (2023) constructed a supply chain game model consisting of government subsidies, manufacturing companies, and sales companies. The government can subsidize the production or innovation costs of manufacturing companies, while sales companies can cooperate with manufacturing companies through revenue-sharing contracts or cost-sharing contracts. When the supply chain achieves synergistic development, it can simultaneously maximize economic benefits and minimize carbon emissions, thus achieving carbon neutrality. Zhang et al. (2022) combined the SBM-DEA global model with weighted methods, coupling coordination degree (CCD), and convergence models. They found that the CCD between economic efficiency of land use and the level of green manufacturing systems in Chengdu–Chongqing cities was in a slow growth stage, emphasizing the need to improve the coupling and coordination of urban land use economic efficiency and green manufacturing systems for sustainable development. Li et al. (2019) conducted a systematic coupling analysis of carbon economy, energy consumption, and ecological environment systems in the manufacturing industry and established models for system coupling and coupling coordination. Cui et al. (2017) constructed an evaluation index system for low-carbon economic systems and ecological environment systems and used the entropy-weighting method to evaluate the development level of the two systems in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region.

In summary, domestic and foreign scholars have achieved rich research results on low-carbon, green manufacturing, and industrial coupling development, but mainly focused on regional research directions. Few scholars have conducted research on specific manufacturing enterprises and conducted empirical quantitative analysis of the relationship between economy, resources, and environment from the perspectives of coupling, coordination, and evolution. Manufacturing enterprises, as the micro-entities of the manufacturing industry, are not only the direct providers of most material products but also the direct producers of the vast majority of pollutants. They strive to face challenges and achieve their own survival and development under the screening of the “low-carbon hourglass,” while also shouldering the mission of actively responding to the national low-carbon call and shouldering the responsibility of low-carbon development.

Therefore, in the context of a low-carbon economy, achieving low-carbon innovative development of manufacturing enterprises and cultivating their unique low-carbon competitiveness is an urgent challenge that government management departments, enterprise decision-makers, and researchers need to address. Considering this, this article takes a manufacturing enterprise as the object and constructs an evaluation index system for economic development and resource environment based on the production and consumption reports of the enterprise for seven consecutive years. The entropy weight method and evaluation function are used to evaluate their respective development levels, and the coupling coordination degree is used to study the coordinated development relationship between economic development and resource environment. Suggestions and measures to improve the coordinated development of the enterprise are proposed. The research results provide basic support for enriching the development of the manufacturing industry and achieving dual carbon and sustainable development.

2 Constructing an Indicator System and Model

3 Analysis of Empirical Results

3.1 Analysis of Overall Development Level of Manufacturing Enterprises

Based on Table 3, the comprehensive evaluation indicators for the economic development and resource-environment of a certain manufacturing enterprise are depicted in Figure 1. It can be observed that from 2016 to 2021, the economic development level of the manufacturing enterprise exhibited an upward trend, with the comprehensive index increasing from 0.02592 to 0.43141, representing a growth rate of 93.99%. However, in 2022, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic index began to decline. The comprehensive economic index decreased from 0.43141 to 0.40818, indicating a decline rate of 5.38%. This development trend of the manufacturing enterprise aligns with the overall economic development trend in our country, with a gradual increase year by year. However, in the context of the pandemic’s impact, there has been a slight decline in the economic situation.

Figure 1

Comprehensive evaluation index chart.

The analysis of Figure 1 reveals two significant turning points in the impact of the enterprise on the resource-environment. From 2017 to 2018, the comprehensive evaluation index for resource-environment increased from 0.22154 to 0.31903, showing a growth rate of 44%. However, from 2019 to 2020, the index dropped from 0.30272 to 0.12668, indicating a decline of 58.15%. Interestingly, while the economic development evaluation index experienced a dramatic increase, the resource-environment evaluation index notably decreased. This phenomenon is closely linked to the enterprise’s strong implementation of national policies such as “carbon peak and carbon neutrality,” energy conservation, emissions reduction, and efficiency improvement.

3.2 Analysis of Coupling Degree and Coupling Coordination of Manufacturing Enterprises

The changes in coupling degree and coupling coordination of a certain manufacturing enterprise, as obtained from Table 4, are depicted in Figure 2. In 2016, the coupling degree between the economic development and resource-environment systems of the enterprise was at its lowest, measuring 0.583323, indicating a period of adjustment and adaptation. From 2017 to 2022, the coupling degree of the manufacturing industry remained relatively stable, consistently above 0.86, with a maximum fluctuation of 0.08985. In the years 2017, 2018, and 2021, the coupling between the economic development and resource-environment systems of the enterprise reached a mature stage, culminating in a high degree of coupling in 2022. This significant progress showcases the enterprise’s breakthrough from the adjustment phase to a state of mature and stable development. From 2016 to 2022, the level of coupling coordination gradually increased in a stable and incremental manner. The transition from moderate imbalance to tenuous coordination was achieved, demonstrating the remarkable effect of optimizing and integrating economic development and resource-environment factors within the manufacturing enterprise. It is evident that the enterprise is progressively moving towards a more coordinated direction.

Figure 2

Changes in coupling degree and coupling coordination.

4 Improvement Recommendations

To achieve green development in manufacturing enterprises and pursue the goal of sustainable development, every industry must take action and contribute. In order to do so, the manufacturing enterprise should further enhance the coupling coordination between economic development and the resource-environment system. It should strengthen the coordinated development of the manufacturing industry to drive energy-saving, water-saving, clean production, and comprehensive resource utilization initiatives related to economic development. The following seven aspects can be considered:

1. A carbon emission management mechanism should be established and improved by fortifying strategic and planning management, performance assessment management, and carbon emission data management. Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets should be incorporated into medium to long-term development plans. A carbon performance control system should be gradually established within the corporate group, and efforts should be made to promote the establishment of a unified management system for carbon emission statistics, monitoring, inspection, and reporting, ensuring the accuracy of carbon emission data.

2. On-site decarbonization actions should be advanced by reinforcing energy-saving and emission reduction management, resource recycling management, green building management, and the management of projects aimed at reducing emissions and carbon sinks. The energy utilization efficiency of the manufacturing enterprise should be further enhanced, mechanisms for green and low-carbon resource recycling should be improved, building energy-saving and low-carbon capabilities should be enhanced, and a carbon sink system should be established.

3. Actions towards decarbonizing green products should be strengthened through enhanced management of green and low-carbon innovation. Mechanisms for green and low-carbon innovation should be established to drive technological breakthroughs in sustainable fuels, new materials, and other low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies, consequently fostering green and low-carbon innovation in manufactured products.

4. Decarbonization actions along the green industrial chain should be deployed by intensifying the management of the green industrial chain. The extensive network of the modern manufacturing industry and supporting institutions should be fully utilized to lead the green and low-carbon development of market players upstream and downstream. In turn, a management mechanism for green supply chains throughout the product lifecycle should be established.

5. The management capabilities of carbon assets and carbon trading should be enhanced through the implementation of carbon asset and carbon trading management, including unified planning, supervision, and guidance of carbon emission quotas for affiliated units engaged in carbon trading activities.

6. The construction of green support platforms should be accelerated by establishing green service platforms, green financial platforms, and green training platforms. Competitive energy-saving service enterprises should be introduced under controllable industry risks. Green financial service platforms applicable to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality should be constructed, and a comprehensive system for green and low-carbon education and training should be established.

7. A robust mechanism for green development supervision should be established through performance control, project supervision, and green auditing. Compliance management for carbon emissions should be strengthened, and the approval and supervision of high-energy-consuming and high-emission projects should be strictly controlled. These measures will effectively promote the green and low-carbon development of manufacturing enterprises.

8. Forge a Double Carbon Innovation Alliance with Research Institutes. In the realm of production and system management, low-carbon innovation in manufacturing enterprises primarily manifests in cost reduction, emission mitigation, and waste recycling. However, achieving cost savings through sole reliance on small-scale production is often challenging for these enterprises. Therefore, it is imperative for manufacturing enterprises to actively engage in deep-rooted alliances and innovative collaborations with research institutions, partner enterprises, and other stakeholders. These partnerships can help compensate for technical gaps, facilitate specialized division of labor, and foster innovative alliances with complementary resources and shared benefits. By integrating innovative cost-saving strategies into their production and operational processes, manufacturing enterprises can achieve low-carbon and cost-effective production and system management through knowledge sharing and batch production methods.

9. Enhance Knowledge Integration Capabilities. Manufacturing enterprises must prioritize improving their internal knowledge-sharing and communication mechanisms. The true value of knowledge sharing can only be realized when the knowledge is effectively integrated and absorbed. Therefore, efforts should be made to strengthen the knowledge integration capabilities of both the sender and receiver of knowledge. This will ensure that core knowledge from innovative collaborations is presented in a comprehensive and thorough manner, ultimately accelerating the activation of internal capital increments and fostering the endogenous driving force for improved low-carbon innovation performance.

5 Conclusions

This article proposed an evaluation indicator system for a manufacturing enterprise under the context of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals. An evaluation index system for economic development and resource environment uses entropy weighting method and evaluation function to evaluate its development level and uses coupling coordination degree to study the coordinated development relationship between economic development and resource environment.

By analyzing the annual reports of the national enterprise from 2016 to 2022, it was found that the comprehensive development level of the enterprise showed an upward trend. Specifically, the economic development level was experiencing an upward trajectory, while the resource-environment evaluation index was declining. The level of coupling coordination and development exhibited a steady increase year by year, achieving a smooth transition from moderate imbalance to marginal coordination. The analysis results can effectively evaluate the comprehensive development level, policy implementation degree, and coordinated development status of various factors of the enterprise, and can also provide reference significance for future industrial structure adjustment and equipment upgrading of the enterprise.

Driven by the ambitious goals of the carbon peak and carbon neutrality policy, green manufacturing, and sustainable development, the manufacturing enterprise should focus on improving efficiency, conserving energy, enhancing management systems, and ensuring resource supply. It is crucial to track and implement policies in these areas, aiming to elevate the coordination level between economic development and the resource-environment system from marginal coordination to a higher-quality coordination state. This will effectively promote the green and sustainable development of the manufacturing industry.