Abstract: This paper analyzed carbon emission, energy intensity and carbon uptake in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) based on related data of 11 provinces and cities in the YREB from 2005 to 2014. The regional reduction potentials of carbon emission were measured under the “ighCarbon Scenario”and “owCarbon Scenario”in 2030 to explore the low carbon development modes in the YREB. The results showed that spatial agglomeration of carbon emissions in the YREB was significant and the growth rate of carbon emissions was slowing. The eastern region had the largest average carbon emissions, while the smallest average value emerged in the western region. The fastest and slowest growth of carbon emissions emerged in the central region and the eastern region, respectively. The energy intensity of the western region was the highest, while the eastern region has the lowest energy intensity. However, the central region had the largest decline in energy intensity, whereas the eastern region had the smallest decline. The western region had the strongest carbon sink capacity, while the weakest value appeared in the eastern region. Based on the aforementioned findings, relevant strategies should be put forward from the aspects of carbon emission reduction responsibility, low carbon consumption, clean energy substitution, high energy consumption industry optimization and regional ecological quality improvement to achieve direct carbon reduction of carbon source and relative carbon emission reduction of carbon sinks. It was predicted that carbon emissions under the “LowCarbon Scenario” would reduce about 12 billion tons compared to the “HighCarbon Scenario”in the YREB in 2030, and the central region would become the main source of carbon emissions