The impact of the establishment of carbon emission trade exchange on carbon emission efficiency

Does marine ecological compensation policy have improved marine carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from coastal areas in China

The marine ecological compensation (MEC) policy is a scheme for protecting and restoring marine ecology. The previous studies have verified that the policy has improved the marine environment, ignoring the comprehensive performance of the economy and environment. Is the MEC policy actually effective for reducing marine carbon emission considering resource input and economy output? To address the question, this paper evaluates the impact of MEC policy on marine carbon emission efficiency by introducing the multi-stage difference-in-difference with propensity score matching. The results show that the MEC policy significantly improves marine carbon emission efficiency, and the positive effects dynamically enhance over time. Low-carbon technology innovation is confirmed to play a mediating role by which the MEC policy improves marine carbon emission efficiency. Therefore, gradually popularizing the MEC policy and accelerating low-carbon technology innovation are crucial measures to improve marine carbon emission efficiency and achieve sustainable marine development.

A significance of smart city pilot policies in China for enhancing carbon emission efficiency in construction

The Chinese government seeks to promote economic growth and sustainable development while achieving carbon neutrality by establishing phased smart city pilots. Therefore, it is important to study whether smart city pilots can promote carbon emission efficiency (CEE). This paper constructs a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) model based on panel data from 241 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, aiming to investigate the mechanism of the impact of smart city pilot policies (SCPP) on CEE and whether there is a rebound effect. The study found that smart city construction (SCC) significantly improves carbon efficiency, with pilot cities increasing their CEE by 1.4% compared to non-pilot cities. The conclusions remain robust under a variety of scenarios including the introduction of placebo tests, counterfactual tests, sample data screening, and omitted variable tests. The results of the mechanism test show that although the rebound effect can inhibit the improvement of CEE, the environment can be improved and the CEE can be enhanced through green technology innovation, industrial structure upgrading, energy structure optimization, environmental regulation effect, information technology support, and resource allocation effect. The heterogeneity results indicate that the SCPP is more effective in promoting CEE in cities in the eastern region, southern cities, environmentally friendly cities, large cities, and medium-sized cities. This study contributes to the existing literature in clarifying the environmental benefits of SCPP and provides valuable policy insights for cities to address climate change and sustainable development.

Effect of marine ecological compensation policy on coastal water pollution: Evidence from China based on a multiple period difference-in-differences approach

With the development and utilization of marine resources, coastal water pollution has become increasingly prominent. The marine ecological compensation (MEC) is a key measure to balance the utilization of marine resources and the protection of marine environment. This paper attempts to explore the governance effect of MEC policy on coastal water pollution. Based on panel data of coastal cities in China from 2006 to 2020, a multiple period difference-in-differences (DID) model is used to estimate the impact of MEC policy on coastal water pollution. The research results show that the coastal water pollution has decreased significantly in the polit cities after implementing the MEC policy. The governance effect of MEC policy on coastal water pollution will last for three year and cover areas within a geographical distance of 200 km. The transmission mechanisms of MEC policy on coastal water pollution are the reduction of land-based sewage, marine technological progress and optimization of industrial structure. Further, this paper provides operational suggestions for strengthening the governance effect of MEC policy on coastal water pollution.

Pathways to improving carbon emission efficiency in provinces: A comparative qualitative analysis based on the technology-organization-environment framework

Achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality are important issues for global climate governance. The study of carbon emission efficiency in China's provincial regions is of practical significance for the country to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Based on the framework of Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE), choosing technological progress, economic development, industrial structure, energy structure, energy prices, and carbon emission trading market as condition variables, collecting the panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2020, the mixed study of Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and the fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) was used to explore the complex influence mechanism of carbon emission efficiency. The findings indicate: (1) none of the single conditions are necessary for the effect of carbon emission efficiency, but technology plays an important role in supporting the improvement of carbon emission efficiency. (2) There are four recipes for the improvement of carbon emission efficiency, which are summarized into four modes: Technology-Organization dual core modes, Environment core-Organization support modes, Technology-Organization-Environment linkage modes, and Organization core-Technology support modes. Among them, the recipe of Organization core-Technology support covers the largest number of provinces, indicating that for the developed provinces, it is necessary to accelerate technological innovation, make the deep integration of economic development and technological innovation, and promote the adjustment of the industrial structure, thereby improving the carbon emission efficiency (CEE). This study contributes to carbon emission efficiency literature by providing a new theoretical perspective based on the TOE analysis framework, and development strategies for provinces to optimize the combination according to their condition endowment.

Can industrial co-agglomeration improve carbon emission efficiency? Empirical evidence based on the eastern coastal areas of China

The goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" is the key to coping with global warming and achieving high-quality development. Producer services and manufacturing co-agglomeration (Coagglo) is an important path to achieve low-carbon development. Therefore, the relationship between industrial co-agglomeration and carbon emission efficiency (CEE) needs to be discussed. Based on the panel data of 114 cities along the eastern coast of China from 2006 to 2021, this study uses a panel quantile regression model and dynamic spatial Durbin model to evaluate the impact and spatial effect of Coagglo on CEE. The results show that there is a nonlinear relationship between Coagglo and CEE. When it exceeds the 50th quantile, the degree of influence decreases slightly, but it still shows a significant positive correlation. When considering industry heterogeneity, we find that the co-agglomeration of warehousing and postal industry (TRA) and manufacturing has the most significant impact on CEE, while the co-agglomeration of leasing and commercial service industry (LEA) and manufacturing has the least impact on CEE. Regional heterogeneity shows that the Coagglo has a greater impact on carbon emission efficiency in the northern region than in the southern region. In addition, Coagglo promotes the spillover of knowledge and technology and has a positive spatial spillover effect on CEE. This conclusion provides a theoretical reference for carbon emission reduction in eastern coastal areas of China.

Identifying and assessing the multiple effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions in China

Against the backdrop of the global carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, the role of informal environmental regulation, epitomized by public engagement, is assuming an increasingly pivotal position within the realm of environmental management. By contrast, amidst the prevailing landscape dominated by formal environmental regulation (command-and-control and market-driven approaches), the environmental effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions have received scant attention. Consequently, we examine the net, nonlinear, and mediation effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions using panel data from 30 provinces in China, from 2003 to 2019. We find that informal environmental regulation has a significant effect on regional carbon emission reduction, especially in the eastern cities, pilot cities, and cities with long-term governor's tenure. Its U-shaped effect is confirmed by changes in environmental decentralization. The key points remain valid after the robustness test and the endogenous processing. The mechanism analysis shows that informal environmental regulation can reduce carbon emissions in the dual channels by improving industrial structure transition and renewable energy substitution. Therefore, this study assesses the management effectiveness of informal environmental regulation and determines the underlying mechanism between it and regional carbon emission reduction to provide a reference and an empirical basis for other countries regarding environmental improvement.

The impact of industrial collaborative agglomeration on total factor carbon emission efficiency in China

Improving total factor carbon emission efficiency (TCE) is the key to achieving carbon emission reduction targets while ensuring economic growth. In this paper, the global Malmquist index based on the SBM model is used to measure TCE of 283 cities in China from 2011 to 2019. On this basis, this paper uses the spatial econometric model and intermediary effect model to empirically analyze the impact of industrial co-agglomeration on TCE and its transmission mechanism. Furthermore, considering the differences in geographical location and resource endowment among regions, this paper analyzes the heterogeneous effect of industrial collaboration agglomeration on TCE in different regions and cities. The results show that: (1) Industrial co-agglomeration can improve TCE, and its main transmission channel is technological innovation. (2) Industrial co-agglomeration has a positive spatial spillover effect. Industrial co-agglomeration in one region can improve the TCE in the surrounding regions. (3) Industrial co-agglomeration of cities with different geographic locations and resource endowments has a heterogeneous effect on TCE. Regarding geographical heterogeneity, the industrial co-agglomeration in the eastern region has the greatest promoting effect on TCE, followed by the central region. However, the impact of industrial co-agglomeration in the western region on TCE is not significant. Regarding resource endowment heterogeneity, the industrial co-agglomeration in non-resource-based cities has a greater promoting effect on TCE than that in resource-based cities.

Advances and future trends in research on carbon emissions reduction in China from the perspective of bibliometrics

Addressing global warming is one of the most pressing environmental challenges and a crucial agenda for humanity. In this literature study, we employed bibliometrics to reproduce nearly two decades of research on carbon emission reduction in China, the largest carbon emitter worldwide. The scientometrics analysis was conducted on 1570 academic works published between 2001 and 2021 concerning China's carbon emission reduction to characterize the knowledge landscape. Using CiteSpace and VOSviewer, the basic characteristics, research forces, knowledge base, research topic evolution, and research hotspots were identified and revealed. The analysis results show that the attention to and research on China's carbon emissions have increased in recent years, giving rise to leading institutions and relatively stable core journal groups in this field. The research disciplines are relatively concentrated, but the research collaboration needs strengthening. The research hotspots are mainly carbon emission causes, impacts, and countermeasures in China, and the research frontiers have been constantly advanced and expanded. In the future, research on countermeasures needs more effort, and research cooperation needs to strengthen. The changing landscape of hotspot clusters reveals China's transition towards a low-carbon economy. Through comprehensive analysis of the potential and obstacles to China's transition to low-carbon development, we identified three promising areas of action (low-carbon cities, low-carbon technologies and industries, and transforming China's energy system) and proposed research directions to address remaining gaps systematically.

Green location-oriented policies and carbon efficiency: a quasi-natural experiment from National Eco-industrial Demonstration Parks in China

This paper investigates how National Eco-industrial Demonstration Parks (NEDP) in China affects carbon emission efficiency. The difference-in-differences (DID) strategy is used for analysis. This paper finds that the construction of NEDP is conducive to the improvement of carbon emission efficiency, and the findings remain robust through placebo tests and propensity score matching. Heterogeneity analysis shows NEDP construction has greater utility on carbon efficiency in non-resource-based cities as well as in environmentally friendly cities. The mechanism analysis found that green technology innovation, industrial restructuring, and the relocation of industrial enterprises are effective ways to improve carbon efficiency in NEDP. Finally, this paper finds that the construction of NEDP has obvious spatial spillover effects on carbon efficiency, which can effectively heighten the carbon efficiency level of this locality and nearby areas.

How does technological innovation affect carbon emission efficiency in the Yellow River Economic Belt: the moderating role of government support and marketization

The Yellow River Economic Belt (YREB) is a fundamental ecological protection barrier for China. Its carbon pollution issues are currently severe owing to the extensive energy consumption and unsatisfactory industrial constructions. In this context, this paper estimates carbon emission efficiency (CEE) based on the panel data from 56 cities in the YREB during the period 2006-2019 and analyzes its spatial distribution characteristics. Additionally, the spatial Durbin model (SDM) is utilized to examine the effect of technological innovation (TI) on CEE as a result of the moderating effects of government support (GS) and marketization (MA), respectively. The results indicated that (i) in the YREB, CEE exhibited significant spatial autocorrelation characteristics; (ii) TI negatively affected local CEE; (iii) the moderating effect of local GS on the relationship between TI and CEE in the local area was negative, but its spatial spillover effect was still not significant; (iv) the moderating effect of local MA on the relationship between TI and CEE in the local area was also negative, but positive in the surrounding areas. Based on the empirical analysis, a series of policy suggestions are proposed to improve the YREB's CEE.

The effect of low-carbon transportation pilot policy on carbon performance: evidence from China

In 2011, aiming to achieve sustainable development in the transportation sector, the Chinese government started a pilot policy of low-carbon transportation system (LCTS). Based on the panel data for 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2017, we first measure carbon efficiency by using the SBM-DEA model, and identify the direct and spatial spillover effects of LCTS on carbon efficiency and carbon intensity by adopting a spatial difference-in-differences approach (SDID). The results indicate that LCTS construction not only enhances local carbon performance but also has a significant spatial spillover effect in neighboring cities. The results are still valid after a series of robustness tests. The mechanism analysis reveals that LCTS can elevate carbon performance by improving energy efficiency, green innovation, and developing public transit. The direct and indirect effects of LCTS on carbon performance show more pronounced effects in megalopolis and eastern region. This paper provides reliable empirical evidence for the effect of LCTS on carbon performance, which is conducive to deepening the understanding of carbon emissions and has a high reference value for the rational formulation of carbon reduction policies.

Heterogeneity and spillover effects of carbon emission trading on green innovation

The massive emission of greenhouse gases poses a serious threat to the ecological environment. In this context, the relevant effects of the carbon emission trading (CET) market, which promotes greenhouse gas emission reduction by market means, have been widely investigated. Taking the China's CET pilot as a research target, the heterogeneity and spillover effects of CET on green innovation are explored by using the sample data of 279 prefecture-level cities in China from 2008 to 2019. The results are as follows. First, on the whole, CET significantly promotes strategic green innovation, but it has no significant effect on substantive green innovation. Second, the green innovation effect of CET varies with the level of green innovation, and the heterogeneous effects of green innovation are also reflected in different degrees of marketization, fiscal decentralization and government environmental concern. Third, CET has a positive spillover effect on green innovation, and the spillover effect is more significant than the direct effect, accounting for 74.8% of the total effect. Finally, some corresponding policy suggestions are put forward according to the above research conclusions.